Book Sculptures

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Some of the most interesting visual art I've ever seen. (At least online thanks to BoingBoing; I've yet to see these in person.) The artist calls them Book Autopsies.

http://centripetalnotion.com/2007/09/13/13:26:26/#more-550

[Ghoulish Delight]

Wow, those are spectacular.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Oh, my. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite so lovely and surprising and somehow even a little sad... and, wow.

[libraryvixen]

Magnificent. I wish the artist would come to my local booksale. There are always old editions of books that go unpurchased. I try to go through many of them so I can keep them and love them but there are plenty of them that live on the shelf for a year waiting for a home.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

Very cool. I have a set of Encyclopedia Britanica they could use. :snap:

[Gemini Cricket]

Neat-o!
:)

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

And now, it CAME FROM BEYOND!

Mad paper beast on the loose.

Or maybe it just lost its mommy.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1087/1408780569_b1867a1420.jpg?v=0

[libraryvixen]

That face is something only a mother can love... and that lady can't run from fast enough!

[Capt Jack]

That face is something only a mother can love...

no, I think even she would be hard pressed

[Kevy Baby]

I particularly like the ones in wood: the juxtaposition of books and the source of the paper.

[JWBear]

I look at them and think "what a horrible thing to do to a book! Nobody can read them now!"

[Tref]

Oh, my. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite so lovely and surprising and somehow even a little sad... and, wow.

I suppose that was my first reaction as well -- lovely but sad. I get nervous when I see somebody improperly bending the spine of a book, much less chopping it up for art.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I look at them and think "what a horrible thing to do to a book! Nobody can read them now!"

I suppose that was my first reaction as well -- lovely but sad. I get nervous when I see somebody improperly bending the spine of a book, much less chopping it up for art.It's always hard to see a book bite the dust, but it seems the books he used are ones that would end up in the trash anyway, as LV mentions below -

Magnificent. I wish the artist would come to my local booksale. There are always old editions of books that go unpurchased. I try to go through many of them so I can keep them and love them but there are plenty of them that live on the shelf for a year waiting for a home.I've felt the same impulse upon seeing the ancient books people donate to the Friends of the Library bookstore. Much of the donations aren't of any use to anyone. They sell many of the books for 25 cents or less, and even then, they can't get rid of them fast enough, so anything less than worthy is tossed.

I adore this art, and would absolutely love a piece for my walls. Not only is it gorgeous and brilliant, it's a wonderful second life for a reference piece that's no longer useful. :snap:

[Snowflake]

I adore this art, and would absolutely love a piece for my walls. Not only is it gorgeous and brilliant, it's a wonderful second life for a reference piece that's no longer useful. :snap:

Me too!

I think you got it just right CP and Libraryvixen, a second life. Much better than the trash bin, bonfire or shredder.

Now to find out where he sells and (gulp) how much one would be.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Yeah, I'm with CP and Vix on this one. I've seen a lot of books like these wind up in the garbage.

There's another craftsman who makes awesome purses out of old books. She usually uses books where the cover is in tact but the interior is damaged.

www.rebound-designs.com

Don't you feel bad cutting up all those books?

Not really. Most of these books were damaged or being thrown away to begin with, I don't cut up valuable books or books in fantastic condition. I take great care to find books that are already falling apart or are unwanted, like out of date textbooks.

[Tref]

I think you got it just right CP and Libraryvixen, a second life.

That's fine, if your idea of a second life is as an autopsy.

But, hey, I do not want to make a bigger deal of this then is warranted but like the entrepreneur who wanted to buy up fine art in order to slice it up and sell it in little squares, "So everybody can own a piece of the great artists," it makes me uneasy. What can I say?

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

That's fine, if your idea of a second life is as an autopsy.

But, hey, I do not want to make a bigger deal of this then is warranted but like the entrepreneur who wanted to buy up fine art in order to slice it up and sell it in pieces, "So everybody can own a piece of the great artists," it makes me uneasy.

These aren't invaluable books, however. I'd be upset if he carved up a first edition of Moby Dick, or if he made a sculpture using the last known copy of something, but I don't think that's the case.

Whereas most fine art is one of a kind, and ripping it to shreds for entrepreneurial purposes is shameful. Unless it was a painting made in the 1980s, because most of those works are expendable. Heh. I kid.

[Tref]

These aren't invaluable books, however. I'd be upset if he carved up a first edition of Moby Dick, or if he made a sculpture using the last known copy of something, but I don't think that's the case.

I agree with you. And I like what the artist did, as well. I really do! I just get weird when it comes to books ...

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I agree with you. And I like what the artist did, as well. I really do! I just get weird when it comes to books ...

I totally understand. I can be awfully weird about them, too. My stomach positively churns when I see books poorly cared for.

[€uroMeinke]

Art is inherently a destructive process - something must be destroyed or at least transformed to create something else