Book + Paper
A wonderful new book arrived in my mailbox today called Fingerprint 2, the follow up to one of my favorites on the bookshelf. The good people over at Chen Associates, a studio who I happen to admire also, have created another collection to honor the hand made elements in design. It’s so inspiring to spend a little time with a book full of printmaking, illustration, sewing and all the small bits and pieces that exist outside of the computer screen.
At Anthem the exploration continues to find new and beautiful ways to combine handmade with digital. No doubt this addition to the library will be well loved and well read.
A nice surprise has arrived in my mailbox… I finally own a copy of The Faith of Graffiti, words by Norman Mailer and photos by Jon Naar. One of those books that is so wonderful to see on the bookshelf, a taste of where we’ve been. Much of my work has been influenced by street culture, and all of the ephemeral work that exists outside of gallery walls. This book is full of marks: “I was here.” Where are the rest of us?
I love to be reminded of the power of a thought, a name, an idea, a marker, a spray can. Today finds me in the midst of planning, programming, and the very many complexities of modern technology – all places that I am happy to inhabit, so long as I can always venture back to the real, gritty work of just saying hello in a few quick deliberate strokes.
My friend Marilyn lent me this beautiful book – a catalog of the Codex show in San Francisco. Hundreds of pages of brand new artist books from all around the world… I sat in this chair for many hours feeding my imagination. Even the cover is perfect.
So far this section has been only about art+design books… the heavy, beautiful, take up your whole lap variety. Today I would like to expand “art books” to include Patti Smith’s biography/autobiography Just Kids. If you love art and a great writing please read it. It won the National Book Award recently and rightly so. It is the story of Patti’s relationship and life long friendship with photographer and artist Robert Mapplethorpe – beautifully written, poetic and the newest addition to my bookshelf.
Vancouver is having an antiquarian book fair, first one since the 90s. October 15-16 at the library downtown. alcuinsociety.com/vancouverbookfair. {thanks for the heads up Ryan.}