The story of a man who was transformed after he saw a bright object hit the earth, searched and found it, and was subsequently turned into a giant as a result of this encounter. A sad, almost mythical story and told well by Chet, coupled with smart drawings and a layout that makes good use of the panoramic space of the accordion.
8 double-sided pages, individual pages 6" (h) x 4.5" (w), and when fully opened 3'.
front
back of book
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| Kaiju Man bites the dust |
A curious little booklet that explores the materials and weaves, imagery and color of ancient Peruvian textiles. On the reverse side of the accordion "...is a representation of a checkerboard composite step pattern with bat-like figures." The size of this book and the care taken in its binding, would seem to be the author's way of paying respects to the sources of this rich indigenous knowledge.
14 double-sided pages, individual pages 2.25" (h) x 2" (w), and when fully open 2' 4".
back of the accordion
Another totally wild screen printed book by the Le Dernier Cri crew. This one opens up with 2 six-page foldouts on either side, with different stories taking place on the front and back, all printed in iridescent greens and yellows. What a feast, and I'm sure there's a story in their somewhere but right now I'm just enjoying the visuals!
16 pages, individual pages 7.75" (h) x 7.5" (w), and when extended 5'.
back cover
A cool 'erased' strip of tourist postcards by this German conceptual and experimental artist. This work is part of an ongoing 'erased' series, and Olbrich states that "Everyone is an Original".
10 pages, each page 3" (h) x 4" (w), when fully opened 3' 4".
back cover
All the reviews of this collaboration between the poet Anne Michaels and artist Bernice Eisenstein, exclaim at the beautiful production of this accordion and its renowned collaborators – and yet, after a quick search you can find copies selling for $5 on amazon!
About the production, yes, a great deal of care has been taken with the slipcover the book slides into, the chord that holds the accordion together and the general print quality of the artworks and the layout in general.
The book has two distinct sides. On opening the book the reader encounters portraits of 20th century writers and thinkers accompanied by short quotes by each individual. On the back is the poem "Correspondences" by Anna Michaels, which is a moving elegy to her deceased father. In fact, death pervades this book, the works by Eisenstein are done in a pale lifeless style and they somehow match the accompanying quotes which all attempt to convey something of the beauty and secrets of these people's lives. And Michael's poem delves deep into the death of a clearly beloved father, and her memories of him in life.
I guess I'm left with a rather curious question with this book — why the accordion format? While I understand that it presents this collaboration within a unique format, and it brings together two quite different artists' works in a workable manner. However, the book doesn't actually utilize any of the special qualities of the accordion format in any meaningful way, and frankly I think it could work just as well as a regular book!
62 pages, double-sided, individual pages 9" (h) x 6" (w), when fully opened 32'.
A curious little comic book centered around the theme of "Look." But the image on the reverse is the kicker, and it lifts the whole book into another realm altogether.
6 pages, double-sided, individual page 5.25" (h) x 4" (w), when opened 40".
reverse
