Jason Middlebrook, A Celebration of Debris, San Francisco Art Institute, 2001

A graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute, this curious and oddly shaped accordion is an offset lithographic print commissioned by the SFAI, December 2001. Signed by artist.  4"-1' (H) 16" (L)

Sara Fanelli, Tate Artist Timeline, Tate Gallery, London, 2006

 
 
 

A handwritten timeline by Sara Fanelli that covers the 20th century and lists all the major artists and movements. This accordion is the published version of the same timeline that's installed on the walls of Levels 3 and 5 at the Tate Modern. The text that accompanies this publication states that Fanelli's handwriting "...is designed to reflect the dynamic nature of twentieth-century art history, rather than something set in stone."  6.25" (H) 75" (L)

The Timechart History of the World, Third Millennium Trust, England, 2004/2008

 

  

A 600 year history of the world from Adam and Eve to Barack Obama in 14 feet 9 inches! Originally published as a Victorian wall chart in 1890, this version's timeline has been extended to the year 2008. This is an extraordinarily detailed chart of world events and figures, and the reverse side contains a contemporary timeline of the leaders of China, Russia, Italy, France, Great Britain, Germany and the USA.

The panoramic feature of accordions is obviously well suited to the chronological display and evolution of many different types of subject matter, and these accordions constitute a distinct sub-genre within accordion publications. This type of timeline publication also illustrates the historical linkage with the accordions' predecessor — the scroll.  17.5" (H) 177" (L)

Helge Reumann & Xavier Robel, Elvis Road, Buenaventura Press, Oakland, 2007

This is an absolutely stunning 24 foot drawing by these two Swiss artists that depicts a long road that cuts through a bizarre and surreal metropolitan landscape, and in the final pages we witness the triumphal return of Jesus! The title of this accordion references Elvis Studio, the name they both individually and collectively work under. 8.75" (h) x 24' (w) 

Jenni Freidman, Bend and Sway, Intaglio print, 2002

Freidman's accordion is an intaglio print that combines line etch, aquatint and soft ground to create a mysterious dimensionality combined with a sense of movement, both qualities that are reflected in the title of this work. Freidman lives in Hartford, Connecticut and publishes under the Stone Dragon Press imprint and is inspired by the natural world. 22" (h) x 120" (w) Jenni Freidman's website: jenni freidman

Robert Morris, Continuous Project Altered Daily, Multiples Inc., New York, NY, 1970

back page

Robert Morris' contribution to "Artists & Photographs" a boxed edition of artists' multiples, published by Multiples Inc., in association with Colorcraft Inc., New York, NY, in 1970. The 16 photographs in this accordion document an assortment of different elements (earth, plastic, wood etc...) that comprised the original installation, which was changed each day throughout the duration of the work.  12" (W) 72" (L) 

For further details about this artists' boxed edition (ed. 1200) the link below takes you to Public Collectors, an incredible resource for artists projects, collections, and other weird stuff, as well as a detailed listing of the contents of this box. Also at this link is a fascinating hour-long discussion about this publication and its contents by the renowned collector/dealer of artists multiples/publications: Steven Leiber (1957-2012): Boxed Artist's Editions: Collection of stevenleiberbasement, San Francisco, California

Chuck Close, Keith/Six Drawings, Lapp Princess Press in association with Printed Matter, New York, 1979

Chuck Close's accordion presents six portraits of the same sitter with each gridded image created by using different mark making utensils, including stamp pad fingerprints and one with a "Spring street bar swizzle stick." 6" (H) 77.5" (L)

This publication still available from: PrintedMatter.org

Kara Walker, My Complement, My Enemy My Oppressor, My Love, Feb. 17- May 13, 2007, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis

This accordion served as the invitation for an exhibition preview party for the first full-scale U.S. museum survey of Kara Walker's work that ran from Feb. 17 - May 13, 2007 at the Walker Art Center. This publication treads an interesting line between being publicity for the show and a work in itself. 5.75" (H) 17.5" (L)

The Walker Art Center developed a very rich educational website to go with this exhibition and it can be accessed at: Kara Walker | Main | Home Page browse

Sol LeWitt, Tilted Forms: Wall Drawings, Westfalischer Kunstverein, Munster, Germany, 1987

This accordion documents a Sol LeWitt mural installation that covered four walls of a gallery in the Westfalischer Kunstverein, in Munster, Germany between June 11 - July 27, 1987. The last two images above show the mural in-situ. The curator Marianne Stockebrand, concerned about documenting this temporary work writes in this catalogue about her choice of the accordion format, "The reason that we nevertheless ventured to reduce the wall-drawings to the size of a book is our conviction that this marvellous (sic) painting (which was painted over at the end of the exhibition) should be preserved at least in this way. We hope that with the folding leporello, we have found a form which comes up to the character of the exhibition."  9.25" (H) 166.6"/13.85' (L)

Borja de Pedro, Inner Travel, Barcelona, Spain, 1989

An Interesting offset printed bookwork with an intriguing wraparound cover for this continuous watercolor artwork. Borja describes Inner Travel as "...a journey, all of 225 centimetres long, that Borja de Pedro undertakes on paper and by way of colour; setting out from under the trees, with his dog, crosses the heart of the forest, that measures 12,5 x 9 x 3 centimetres when folded." 4.9" (H) 88.5" (L) In 2008 this Spanish artist achieved some local notoriety in Kyoto, Japan when he created a portrait of Ghandi using a bicycle as a paintbrush, further info and image at: MAHATMA GANDHI COMMUNITY FORUM • View topic - Gandhi painting in Kyoto by Borja de Pedro (video)

La Jicara, #0, 1992, Taller Lenateros, Chiapas, Mexico [edition of 200]

It's rare to find an art journal published in an accordion format but this totally unique silk-screened and double-sided publication is rare in more ways than one. La Jicara (the Gourd) is published by indigenous Maya women in San Cristobal, Chiapas, to promote Mayan culture, and its format embodies both pride, and resistance as it's modeled on the codices created by the women's Maya ancestors that were all but destroyed by the Conquistadors and priests during the Spanish conquest. This periodical is only one of a number of publications produced by Taller Lenateros (The Woodlander's Workshop) which was founded in 1975 by an expatriate American, Ambar Past to promote Amerindian culture. The full range of their beautiful artists' books, prints and other publications can be seen, and purchased at:Taller leñateros - papel hecho a mano.

I'm uncertain as to whether La Jicara is still being published but their current catalogue lists #8 (1998). In the summer of 2003 in Oaxaca I had the memorable experience of finding an almost complete set in the public art library near the main church.  8.5" (H)  88" (L)

William Burroughs, NOVA Broadcast 5: The Dead Star, editor/publisher Jan Herman, 1969

Six double-sided pages stapled inside the cover comprise this broadside with cut-up texts, stories, & images of mobsters and other desperadoes.  Number 5 in a series of 6.  8" (W) 27" (H). For further information about the publisher see: Jan Herman as Publisher of Nova Broadcast Press – RealityStudio