Scott Helmes, 5, Stamp Bad Press/The Hermetic Press, 2016 [ed. 30]

A quiet little one person exhibition of a 5 piece series by this Minnesota-based visual and concrete poet. 

Individual pages 7.25" (h) x 5.5" (w) with a total of 8 pages, and fully extended 3ft 8inches.

And a big thank you to the infamous scott macleod (oakland) for sending this accordion to me!

Allyce Silva, Thanksgiving, mixed media, c. 2016

Back 

Back cover

A fun mixed-media accordion that has a nice folksy quality and I especially like the paperworks and the cut-out stencils.

Individual pages 8" (h) X 6" (w), 8 pages fully extended at 4ft.

Reijo Karkkainen, Money Tox, Le Dernier Cri, 2003 [ed. 200]

Back cover

Another of Le Dernier Cri's fantastic multi-accordion accordion publications and this one features the work of the Finnish artist Reijo Karkkainen. This silkscreened book combines two distinctive sets of drawings that are used to good effect on the different sides of the expanded pages and they only reveal themselves when the book is activated by the reader. According to Reijo the title is a slang phrase that means an addicted person.

 Individual page 6" (h) x 6" (w), 36 pages in total.

Carole King, Treeline, nd, [ed. 28/50] and, How to make a Concertina Book, 2014

Front

Back

Back cover

Treeline, nd 

I was in a small Welsh town called Crughywel that was deep in the countryside this summer, and stopped to check out a lively little art gallery and found these two accordions by this English book artist. I particularly like the concertina book on how to make a concertina book - way to go!

How to make a Concertina Book, 2014

Both books are 8 pages in length, and individual pages are 5.5" (h) x 3.75" (w), and when fully opened each book is 3ft 8 inches.

For further information about Carole King and her activities visit: 

http://www.nantdesigns.co.uk/index.html

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Pete Spence, Some Artefacts, Timglaset Editions, Sweden, 2016/17

Front

Back

A double-sided strip of 15 aphorisms from this down-under word rabble-rouser and published by Timglaset, a bilingual (Swedish/English) fanzine and publisher of handmade books of art and writing. I'll let their online blurb speak for this publication:

"If art and poetry is about making us see objects and concepts in a new light, then pete spence surely is a masterful poet. And a humorous one at that.

pete spence was born in Australia in 1946. He is a visual poet and writer. He has published numerous volumes of poetry, edited many magazines, curated exhibitions of visual poetry and participated in the mail art network for many years.

His latest collection of poetry is Red Duck (Accent Editions, 2016) and anyone who has received one of his colourful collage postcards should consider themselves blessed."

One of my favorites in this book is: 

Conceptual

you don't say


Measurements: 2.75" (h) x 2" (w) and extended 16.5". For info: timglaset.fanzine@mail.com or www. gimglaset.com

'Deirdre Kelly, 'A Walk Past Standing Stones' (after Richard Long), designed by Christopher Taylor, published by Wild Pansy Press, 2016 [ed. 200]

A funky little accordion that is an homage to Richard Long's 1980 accordion of the same name in which his subject matter was a series of photographs of standing stones that he had encountered during a day's walk in Cornwall, England in 1978. Kelly, who presently lives in Venice, Italy, pays homage by switching Long's stones with the weathered heads on the ballustrade of Venice's, Palazzo Soranzo Van Axel. Kelly writes that "these sculpted heads form part of the handrail or 'corrimano' which translates as 'running hand' of which this artists' book represents up and down."

My only slight quibble with this book is a formal and aesthetic one — the accordion strip is not flush with the cover at the bottom so that when the book is placed in the upright position it does not sit flat for the first couple of pages.

Individual pages 3.5" x 2 2/8" overall length 2 ft 2". Long's book is also featured elsewhere in this blog. For further information about Kelly's publications contact: www.wildpansypress.com or www.deirdrekelly.net.

Nancy Chalker-Tennant, Secret Wing, Rochester: Visual Studies Workshop, 1991.

The folder for the accordion

The folder and the accordion

A curious melange of marks and images create a slightly frenetic feel to this double-sided accordion by Chalker-Tennant.

6 pages at 12"(h) x 5.5"(w). When opened up 2' 9".

Pete Gamlen, Den Magiske Bogstav, Tan & Loose Press, 2016 [ed. 300]

An intimate little double-sided accordion, with some sweet drawings that take the changing seasons as metaphors for the stages in relationships.

8 pages, 5.5"(h) x 4"(w). Fully open at 2' 8"