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"

             ____________________________________________________

back of accordion

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

Karry Awn, Paradise of the Violet Crown (Visa del Sur), Austin, nd

My mate Scott Macleod just relocated with his partner from their longtime home in Oakland to Austin, Texas, and as can be seen from this accordion he sent me he's settling into his new environs. As the cover asserts this accordion reproduces Awn's mural which tells the story of the city of Austin, with lots more detailed information on the reverse.

10 double-sided pages, individually 5" x 3.75", and when unfolded 3ft 1.5".

reverse side with info about mural's subjects

back cover

Anette Aurell, Untitled (exhibit announcement), Colette Gallery & Paul Ritter Design, New York, 1997

With a sharp layout by Paul Ritter Design, this accordion strip of perforated postcards constitutes the announcement card for an exhibition of Aurell's photographic works between May 12 - 31, 1997.

6 double-sided pages, individually 5.75" x 4.25" and when fully opened 2ft 1.5".

  

Reverse side