Gwénaelle Lacoste, Les Supersheros de L'Arche (The Superheros of Art), Le Dernier Cri, Marseille, France, 2022

Another wild card of an accordion from Le Dernier Cri. This silk-screened publication is comprised of a cover which holds three separate 5 page accordions printed on both sides. Lacoste's super heroes seem to be drawn from the world of comics with names such as Hulk, Superman, Spiderman, Joker, Iron Man etc...with all these names and characters filtered through Lacoste's outsider childlike comics aesthetic which gives this publication a uniquely off-kilter and weirdly original flavor.

All three accordions are the same size, with each 5 double-paged work measuring 8.5" x 6" per page, and when unfolded 2'6".

the accordions with their cover

the three accordions

front

back

front

back

front

back

back cover

Anonymous, Untitled, nd

A small blank accordion that I came across in this great store in Manhattan called Kinokuniya which carries an incredible array of Japanese related products from paper, writing instruments, books and much more, I'll let the statement on their web statement spell it out: 

"We have a  wide range of English books including literature, Art, Children's books, business books, etc. Our New York store’s main floor is dedicated to books in English. We also feature a large stationery section in basement that includes authentic Japanese products. On the 2nd floor, we have a fine selection of manga in both English and the original Japanese, graphic novels, anime goods and toys as well as a cafe.  The store also periodically hosts signing events by writers, notable artists and creators."

If you ever are in the vicinity be sure to visit this really cool store thats crammed to the ceiling with great stuff! Here's a link to their website: Kinokuniya Store Locations — Kinokuniya USA

22 pages, individual pages 6" x 4", and when fully open 7ft 4".

back cover

Niki de Saint Phalle, Traces, Editions Acatos, Lausanne, Switzerland, 1999

This autobiographical accordion was published by Editions Acatos as both a catalogue and documentation of an exhibition of Phalle's work at the JGM Galerie in Paris which presented the original manuscripts and drawings for the book as well as a set of bronze sculptures.

The texts are broken up into sections in which Phalle (1930-2002) comments upon and describes memories from her life and art. Included at the end is a biographical listing of events, exhibitions and artistic collaborations between 1930 - 1998, with a final image of Phalle with her daughter Laura, and grand daughter & great grand daughter!

22 single-sided pages, individually 10" x 7.75" and when fully open 14ft 2.5".

back cover

Jürgen Olbrich, Nothing, Germany, 2023

A mini-accordion book from this German post-neo-fluxus-networker and busy conceptual artist who I've been corresponding with for a couple of decades. With his theme of 'nothing' we actually get something, which is a series of cancelled stamps lifted from their original contexts and strung together into this accordion and then despite, or maybe because of, their cancelled status, they now are stamped with 'nothing' — a double cancelling, or nothing, as it were. 

5 single-sided pages, individually 2.75" x 2" and fully open 10".

ps: check out this other 'erased' accordion by Olbrich on this blog: Jürgen O. Olbrich, Erased Series, Germany, 1999.

back cover

Simon Starke, ÖKOpädie, Germany, nd

 

A curious accordion by this German conceptual artist who was born in 1958. The description of him on the artland.com site reads like an AI generated text and offers nothing about the artist himself, but then maybe that's a 'piece' in itself!  Accompanying these photographs of assorted subjects is the word ÖKOpädie and I'm still trying to figure its meaning, in German it means 'ecopedia' while in Polish it translates as 'trenches', which given the cover image of a headstone reading Familie Grabe/Family Grave would seem to be a natural fit.  Either way I'm sure I'm missing the message here, so if anyone can help me that would be great!

5 double-sided pages, individually 5.75" x 4" and when fully open 1ft 8".

reverse

Gérard Lo Monaco, The Carousel of Animals, Little Gestalten, Berlin, 2017

Not an accordion but something special nevertheless! I've never come across a book that turns into a 3-dimensional sculptural object and this one does all that and more. When you peal back the covers and tie them together with the ribbon provided, a wonderful transformation takes place and — a five sided pop-up carousel comes to life.

Sonia Delaunay, Madame Sonia Delaunay, Musee D'Art Moderne, Paris, 2014

Following my quest to explore other 'folded' works I recently came across this fun children's book featuring the work of the French artist Sonia Delaunay (1885-1979). As can be seen its a pop-up book that brings to life this French Orphist's geometric works in a series of startling two page spreads.

Check out this very early accordion book that Delaunay created with Blaise Cendrars titled 'La Prose du Transsiberian et de la Petite Jehanne de France' from 1913 on this blog:  accordion publications: La Prose du Transsiberian et de la Petite Jehanne de France, poem by Blaise Cendrars & artwork by Sonia Delaunay, facsimile of 1913 version, 2008, Yale University Press, New Haven

back cover

Jim Bertolacini, Jimmyfofingas, Madison, 2023, ed. 1, and Andrily Liashcuk, Tamara Turliun & Chantal Rems, One Day You Will Grow Back Your Thumb, 2022, ed. 500

I never thought I would be posting on this blog two accordions that take as their subject matter missing digits, in the case of Bertolacini its his first forefinger that he lost to cancer, and for Liashchuk its a thumb he lost while crafting wooden birds to sell in support of the Ukrainian war effort.

Bertolacini dealt with his loss by good-humouredly taking 'Jimmyfofingas' as his artistic nomme de geur and he's used this moniker to promote his artistic career as well as a positive way to forge his new identity as a 'four fingered' person.

For Liashcuk, his loss has incurred a humorous search by his friends for a prosthetic replacement for his missing thumb. On the back of each of the perforated cards is a description of the nondescript objects and collage elements used to replace his missing member. 

Humor seems to be the common element to both these artists' accordions and I can well imagine how 'humor' is a necessary aid in getting through this kind of traumatic event. Bravo to both of these brave artists who've turned their 'loss' into a gain, and produced these singular accordion books for all of us to enjoy!

reverse side

back page

6 double-sided pages, individually 5.25" x 4.75, and when unfolded 2ft 4.5"

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back of accordion

14 double-sided pages, individually 4" x 3", when fully open 3ft 6".