Nico Fremz, Kama Foutraque, Le Dernier Cri, Marseille, 2022, ed. 150

Another wild accordion both technically and creatively from Le Dernier Cri. This book is comprised of two accordions each of them attached to either the right or left sides of the cover, so that when you open up the book in its middle you have two separate accordions that can be unfolded independently of each other. When fully unfolded these two black and white screen printed accordions measure a combined total of 15.5 feet (4.7 metres). 

Once both accordions are opened up the work reveals itself to be one long pornographic frieze that takes the Kama Sutra as its model, but detourns it to create a very different message — one that is populated by numerous men, women and animals engaged in a huge range of sadistic, onanistic and butt & pussy penetrations to name just a few of the things that are going down. Despite all of this, one has to admire Fremz's lively illustration & comics style and the huge number of actors & activities he's been able to cram into these pages!  

The reverse side of the accordion is one long drawing of a brick wall, suggesting that this twisted psychotic orgy is taking place in some kind of walled off and private space.

Each accordion is 6 double-sided pages, with individual pages 11" x 15.5", and when one is unfolded it is 7' 9", and with both of them the length is 15' 6".

the reverse side of the accordion with its brick wall

when opened in the middle you can see the two separate accordions on the left & right

accordion on the left

accordion on the left

the last page of the accordion on the left and first page of the accordion on the right

both accordions with two pages open

the accordion on the right with 2 pages open and the left with one page

back cover

Every Ocean Hughes (formerly Emily Roysdon) & Alvin Baltrop (photography), West Street, Printed Matter, New York, 2010, ed. 400

Hughes who moved to New York City in 1999, became fascinated with the crumbling remnants of the piers along the city's waterfront. This series of photographs by Baltrop accompanied with some texts by Hughes document the Christopher Street Pier on the Hudson River waterfront and specifically Pier 45 opposite West 10 Street. For Hughes these remaining piers were "unmarked memorials, found monuments, to the lives that needed that unregulated place. To those who died living queerly. Those who died from neglect, AIDS, violence and politics. And to those seeking life crossing West Street."

12 double-sided pages, individually 6" x 8" and when unfolded 8ft.

reverse side

back cover

Sean Dempsey, Dive Mini-Comic, SMDempsey Comics, 2023

A very funky mini-accordion that Dempsey advises readers to "open the hatch and follow this diver through unknown waters. This 4"x5" mini-comic is mounted in a paper submarine backing with a 32" long accordion fold illustration...". 

For more of Dempsey's work see: www.etsy.com/shop/SMDempseyComics

16 single-sided pages, individual pages 2" x 2", and when unfolded 2ft 8".

back of accordion

 

Rémy Zaugg, About Death II, 16 Paintings, Mai 36 Galerie & Galerie Nordenhake GmbH, Art 33 Basel, 2002

A cool exhibition catalogue that recreates in miniature Zaugg's installation of 16 text-based paintings with their sizes & sequencing as installed at Art 33 Basel. On the back cover Zaugg explains the rationale for the work writing: "This frieze, consisting of 16 paintings, continues the tradition of the medieval dance of the Death and especially recalls the fresco painted around 1440 in Basle as well as the woodcuts by Hans Holbein the Younger on the same subject."

9 single-sided pages, individual pages 3" x 4.25", and when unfolded 3ft 2.25".

illustrating the sequencing of the works

 

Jonathan Monk, Sailing into San Francisco three sailors & one tattoo, Jack Hanley Gallery, San Francisco, 2000, ed. 1000

A curious accordion by this Brit artist now based in Berlin. I'm assuming that this publication was connected to an exhibition at the then San Francisco-based Jack Hanley gallery, although the publication does not indicate this. Either way the images all seem to be the typical touristic images of San Francisco and i'm sort of assuming that they are found photos, and that the reference to "one tattoo" is related to the last photo in the accordion of 3 sailors with sticks between their legs as if they are riding horses, and one of the sailors has a tattoo on his forearm (also featured on the cover of this accordion). The work seems like a typical work of this conceptual artist, but without the sly wit and humor of others I have seen. Check out the other three of Monk's accordions posted on this blog and make up your own mind!

16 single-sided pages, individual 3.75" x 5.5", and unfolded 7ft 4inches.

the three sailors & one tattoo

back cover

Cecilia Mandrile and Lina Meruane, Latitude, Bristol, UK, 2017

"Latitude is a collaborative artist book by artist Cecilia Mandrile and writer Lina Meruane published by Impact Press. This unique artist book is an accordian style folded object, with intimate, poetic text on one side and a series of photographic images on the other side. The book can be read like a traditional book or unfolded to stand as a printed art object. Latitude is a meditation on the parallel nature of two lives existing on the same plane as one another for a fleeting moment in time.

Cecilia Mandrile is an Argentinian artist focused on the rehearsal of aesthetics of displacement through print objects and installations. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at El Museo del Barrio in New York and the Victoria & ALbert Museum in London.

Lina Meruane is a Chilean writer, whose fiction work includes the short story collection Las Infantas and the novel Cercada. She has received writing grants from the Guggenheim Foundation and awards from Anna Seghers (Berlin)." [text from Printed Matter listing]

Regarding the 'latitude' of the title, Meruane's text speaks of a meeting of the artist and the writer with her noting: "We were born around the same year (you one earlier than me), around the same parallel of latitude, the Andes slicing through it. We've ended up living on the same street, almost on the same floor (me one higher than you). Mountains of brick between us under the same clouds as they waft from my latitude [40.855368] to yours [40.854869]."

8 double-sided pages, single page 5.75" (variable) x 4", when unfolded 2ft 8inches.

reverse side

back cover