Dennis Oppenheim, Flower Arrangement for Bruce Nauman, New York City: Multiples, Inc., 1970. [edition: 1200]

As the title of this work suggests its a work in dialogue with a fellow minimalist/conceptual artist, Bruce Nauman, and a work of his titled "Flour Arrangements" (1967). This work consisted of the photo-documentation of a series of different shaped piles of flour that Nauman had created. Oppenheim's play on Nauman's title offers a different bouquet in which a series of photographs of one particular field of flowers taken over a period of time are stitched together in this seamless accordion.

Single page 6.25" x 9.25", 7 pages, and fully open at 5' 4.75".

Reuben and Edith Hecht Museum (brochure), Haifa, Israel, 2016

Some very simple accordions quite often have nice surprises inside, and this is one of them! The Bar Kokhba revolt was a rebellion of the Jews of the Roman province of Judea, led by Simon bar Kokhba, against the Roman Empire. Fought circa 132–136 CE, it was the last of three major Jewish–Roman wars, so it is also known as The Third Jewish–Roman War or The Third Jewish Revolt. Some historians also refer to it as the Second Revolt of Judea, not counting the Kitos War (115–117 CE), which had only marginally been fought in Judea. The revolt erupted as a result of religious and political tensions in Judea. Simon bar Kokhba, the commander of the revolt, was regarded by many Jews as the Messiah, who would restore their national independence. [source: Wikipedia]

Double-sided, 12 pages, 4" x 8.5" and extended 2ft 3".

Young Woman's sandal, Bar Kokhba War (132-125 CE)

Kiki Smith, Realms, New York: PaceWildenstein, 2002 [edition 2000]

An accordion publication that accompanied Smith's exhibition "Realms" at the PaceWildenstein gallery in New York from March 14 - April 27, 2002. This small book is given over to depicting the interaction between a woman and a wolf and it would seem to be an eroticized version of the Little Red Riding Hood story - the poem on the inside cover reinforces this reading as well. Either way there's an uneasy tension that permeates this booklet that left me curious about the final outcome of this human and animal interaction.

Individual pages 5" x 3.5".  10 pages double-sided and fully extended 3' 6".

Thomas Seest (ed), Leporello #1 - 11, Lamgbortistan: Copenhagen, Denmark, 2005 [slipcase by Lina Bjorn]

This interesting project brought together 11 artists drawn from the Danish literary and artistic scenes who created a similar number of these small accordion books. 

The artists who collaborated on this project are: Thomas Seest, Jan Danebod, Mats Eriksson, Lina Bjorn, Jakob Wegener, David Bellingham, Janne Hoem, Ebbe Stub, Cecilie Gravesen, Emil Salto and Miriam Nielsen. 

As can be expected there is a huge variety in how each artist approached the unique space of an accordion. It is precisely this variety that gives this 'value pack accordion box' its appeal!

Individual book: 10 pages at 4" x 3", fully extended 3ft.

David Bellingham, Leporello #5,
Sections (through apertures in branches and leaves)

Cecilie Nusselein Gravesen, Leporello #8, Sailors Piano

Jakob Wegener, Leporello #7, side 1

Jakob Wegener, Leporello #7, side 2

Janne Hoem, Leporello #10, side 1

Janne Hoem, Leporello #10, side 2

Lina Bjorn, Leporello #1

Goddog and Sanair, Or Noir, Avignon, France, 2015. [edition 50]

The two street artists Goddog and Sanair collaborated on this book with each contributing one side and their abstracted styles mesh beautifully, and coupled with the lavish and sparkly gold ink used in the printing and you have a very compelling object. As regards how the book got its name, its simple Or (gold) and Noir (black). For further information check out the print studio Sanair runs with Goddog and Rinst in Avignon: La Generale Minerale

4 pages at 9" x 12.5" and extended 4ft 1.5". 

Back of book.

Bill Burns, Amazing Curators, Collectors and Museums of the World, billburnsprojects.com, 2015

A smart accordion that mimicks the vacation booklets with their strips of souvenir postcards. Here the conceptual artist, Bill Burns uses this format to draw attention to something that he's really got his knickers-in-a-twist about and that's the incredible power and influence certain curators and collectors wield in the art world. He has even gone so far as to make little dolls of famous curators, and to name museums after famous curators and collectors. So, this arty adulation could be a savvy career move, but as to whether it achieves any results — well, this probably is better left to the art historians. On the other hand it could make him some enemies and that's a strategy that could also be useful to him as well. But first and foremost this work is a kind of conceptual joke and as with all conceptual jokes you never quite know whether you should take it seriously or just ignore it completely.

7 pages at 6.25" x 4", fully extended 2ft 4".

Laura El-Tantawy, Post-Script, RRB Publishing: Bristol, UK, 2016, ed. 750

"My Mother was hysterical.
'There are snipers on rooftops killing people.
They are targeting photographers. Don't come!'"

Fortunately for us Laura El-Tantawy did not take her mother's advice, and after a number of years living abroad working as a journalist and photographer, she felt compelled to go back 'home' to Egypt, to witness the revolution, to be there and participate in this incredible moment. On the books' inside covers she includes a very compelling text in which she details the journey home, what she saw and experienced in the streets, the brutality and the beauty, and what she found was profoundly moving and this publication is imbued with that charge. 

I too, know something of the incredible excitement that the revolution generated in the beginning, as myself and my Egyptian-born wife sat glued to the TV for weeks following each twist and turn as the revolution played itself out — truly remarkable and memorable days! 

El-Tantawy's expressionist photographic style works well with her writing style and the two blend perfectly in this little accordion that packs an oversized punch. However, I want the artist to have the final say about what she was felt she was doing in going out there, "I was working on my own, not representing any publication and without any influence outside my belief their story had to be told. "Who will hear our story? Who will get our dead children's rights back?" 

Double-sided, 16 pages at 6" x 4.25", extended 4ft 3". This book and others by El-Tantawy available here: LAURA EL-TANTAWY

Marion Deuchars, British Art Timeline, Tate Publishing: London, 2014

The Tate's really been kicking it out with the accordions recently, first was the "Tate Artist Timeline," (2006), and more recently the "The Works of Art London" (2015). I can't work out the date for this publication but assume its around 2015. On one side are artists' names from 1730 to 2000, and on the reverse, titles of works, by presumably, the artists on the other side. This is an interesting book visually, but kind of hopeless in terms of having this history laid out in any kind of accessible manner. 12 pages at 6.25" x 6.25" and extended 6" 3".