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...6:26/#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.

[Tref]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by JWBear

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

Originally Posted by Tref

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 -

Originally Posted by 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.

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.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

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.

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.

[Tref]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

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?

[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.

[Gemini Cricket]

Neat-o!