Book autopsies

[ellen_datlow]

As a book lover and collector, I have very mixed feelings about Brian Dettmer's art: he carves into books revealing the artwork inside, creating complex layered three-dimensional sculptures.

Book Autopsies


Yes, the results are sometimes gorgeous and always interesting, but I feel badly about the books he defaces --which include a book of Rembrandt's Paintings.

Comments

[msisolak.livejournal.com]

Other areas of creativity have this issue. Just mention chopping up an old quilt to make a stuffed animal or a vest out of it, and certain quilters come unstitched.

I'm comfortable with quilt recycling as long as 1. the quilts are far past being usable as a quilt, and 2. the quilts don't possess historical, sentimental, monetary, and/or artistic merit.

I think the same applies to books. If the end result is more (which, in my opinion, it is here) than the materials one began with, I can't be too saddened.

Unless, he's slicing into a copy of "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" with those gorgeous illos by Kay Nielsen that I covet. But I think typical price precludes that. :)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I think you're right. I had a favorite 1940s dress that I wore till it was literally falling apart. I occasionally thought about saving some of the fabric in order to re-use it for a pillow or something. Never happened though.