Eric Knisley and Jan Martijn Burger, Factory, 2017 [2nd ed. 50] and Tunnel, 2017 [2nd ed. 50], Raleigh, North Carolina

Here are two really fun and lively accordions that have been created through the exquisite corpse technique between these two accomplished artists, and the accordion format is absolutely ideal for this kind of artistic collaboration. I asked Eric for information about how the two of them worked together as their drawings merge seamlessly across the 11ft span of the works, and below are some selections from his response:

"...I've been doing these exquisite corpse/accordion books for about eight years now...I was traveling a great deal for work, on the plane for long periods, and I needed something to do on the plane that required no more than a pencil and some paper, and that's how it started.

These books are done "classic" corpse style: there's about one inch of image showing when each artist gets the book; the prior artist has drawn across two pages plus just a bit of the third page. So we don't get to see *all* of the other guy's work, just a wee bit. We're not allowed to look back at the rest of the art. The transitions are the good parts--we are constantly trying to trick each other as to what we're drawing, so you never know what will happen...

....Jan's a master puppeteer who runs the Paperhand Puppet Intervention, and is also a graduate of the Center For Cartoon Studies in Vermont. So he knows a thing or two about drawing and design. He was great to work with. We know each other's style fairly well, so we often had moments of cartoon telepathy while working on the project; that's why the art styles blend so well. Jan's influences are mostly European cartoonists — lots of clear line stuff. My influences are mostly American illustrators and underground cartoonists, so my lines tend to be much scratchier. You'll notice that there's a giant baby head in "Factory". This is because Jan and his wife had their first child while we were doing the project, and he just rolled that right into the book! Jan's an amazing guy — I was very lucky to get him as a collaborator...

One reason I have done all these books (about 35 at this point) is that they really push me hard as an artist. When I would get the book back from Jan, I'd look at the little one-inch strip he'd left me to work from, and I'd think, "Good grief, this is GREAT!" and then I'd think "Shit shit shit" because now I have to do better. Jan and I are both a bit competitive, so we would deliberately leave some really good work to intimidate the other guy. Ah, men..."

Dimensions for both books: 21 pages, single-sided, 9" (h) x 6" (w), when fully open 11ft. See Eric's Etsy store for purchases: Eric knisley

Ian Hamilton Finlay, 2 Notices (nd) and Textbooklet 2 (1979), Wild Hawthorn Press, Scotland

I have to confess I have a total soft spot for these delicate little accordions that Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925-2006) produced over the course of his life through his Wild Hawthorn Press in Scotland. There are a number of his other accordions scattered throughout this blog. 

This accordion documents two signs, one of which was installed as part of Ian Hamilton Finlay's wonderful garden, Little Sparta, and the other is a proposed sign for a specific location in the garden. For more information about the garden see: Little Sparta Trust

4 pages, single-sided, 2" (h) x 2" (w), when opened up 8".

Another visual poetry oriented work that I'm unable to decipher! 

Update: thanks to Paul Robertson for translation of VTOLP — Vertical Take Off and Landing Plane.

8 pages, single-sided, 4" (h) x 2" (w), when opened 16".

Jen Tong, 3 accordions: 1) Plant Life, 2) Structure, 3) Magic, no dates.

Below are three really lively and inventively constructed mini-accordions by this illustrator, print maker, comics and zine maker who lives in Brooklyn, check her out at: welcome

Plant Life, screenprint, 8 pages double-sided, 2.75" (h) x 2" (w), when opened 16" wide, nd.

Structure, screenprint, 16 double-sided pages, 3" (h) x 2.5" (w), open 20", nd [edition: 25]. This accordion is comprised of two same length prints stapled together at the middle, thus allowing the book to expand out in four different directions.

Magic, screenprint, 16 double-sided pages, 3" (h) x 2.5" (w), opened up 27.5", nd. This book also has another similar length print that runs alongside of the cover sheet but stapled together at a different point than the one above. The book expands out into 3 directions when opened up.

Michael Wynne, My Man Paul, London: Kiss & Tell Press, 2017

A fun and brightly colored little accordion that is taken up with all the emotional vicissitudes of loving and relating to one's partner. I'll let Wynne take up the story in his own description of the book: 

A little concertina book for obsessives, those who wait anxiously for him to call. Images, text and illustrations by Michael Wynne.

I love my man.

He is so tall

and he likes me

because I'm small.  

When we're together

he has to crawl

or I ride his back

and never fall.  

...From work, at lunch,

he'll always call,

or text me kisses,

sign off, "Love, Paul."

(extract from My Man Paul) 

This book was produced as part of a fascinating year-long bookmaking project as described here by Wynne: 

"On the 1st of October 2016, I set out to make a photobook a month until the same time in 2017. For a year and a bit, I made a photobook a month, more or less. Some months I made two books, other books took more than a month to complete. For each month I photographed a different man, and out of that photoshoot I created a book. The book evolved out of a conversation between the model and I, or something they did, or something I’d seen them do online. Some books incorporated text I‘d written previously, for others I was inspired to write something new. With each book, I tried to find the form that would echo the theme. These are the first photobooks I’ve made, evidence of a journey’s beginnning."

On this site I have reviewed another of Wynne's books in this project and it can be seen here: accordion publications: Michael Wynne. For an introduction and listing of all the recent books published by Michael Wynne see: Michael Wynne

This book: 26 pages, double-sided, 3" (h) x 2" (w) and fully open at 4ft 4"

Alexandra Beguez, Narwhal, 2014 [2nd edtion 36]

A fun little book by this illustrator, designer and cartoonist about a school of Narwhals and how they exact their revenge on two fishermen hunting them.

6 pages, 6" (h) x 6" (w), fully open at 3ft.

Front cover without the rubber-stamped "Narwhal" book band.

Marion Barraud, Cache Cache (Hide and Seek), Nantes, France, 2016

This is just a wonderfully whimsical Risograph book with a really light and humorous touch by this young illustrator from the southwest of France.  

16 pages, one-sided, each page 3" (h) and 4.75" (w), fully open 6ft 4".

Ed and Deanna Templeton, Contemporary Suburbium, Nazraeli Press: Paso Robles, CA, 2017 [edition 2000]

An interesting collaboration between this professional skateborder and his wife, in an accordion that is ultimately a meditation on their lives in Hungtington Beach, California. Each partner contributed images to one side of the book and I particularly appreciate the play and placement of the photographs across the almost 12ft of this accordion.

Publicity for this book includes two quotes from the artists:

"We were born into this situation, and made the best of what we were dealt, thriving on the sidewalks and front yards and hidden from the influence of the city until the city poured over the castle walls out into the surrounding suburbium that grew barnacles along the edges." (Ed Templeton)

"We found ourselves in a tract of homes that felt familiar and safe. We wandered among the quiet dark tract housing, devoid of people, finally lying down together on a rectangle of grass wedged between the sidewalk and the street. We stared up at the stars talking until the sun came up." (Deanna Templeton)

26 pages, double-sided, individual pages 7.25" (h) x 5.5" (w), and fully open at 11ft 11" and a nice die cut plastic slipcase!