A while ago, in June, I showed you pages that I made for a collaboration with Zoran Vidakovic. Erased is a short text that was erased by painting over in golden acrylics – the ascenders and descenders still peep out, though, making it possible to guess the text. It still can be read completely with some patience and hard staring. The text is self-conscious, “I am a poem, and I am erased”. A declaration of love towards whoever takes the effort of reading follows this entry statement, and it closes with the expression of hope of not being useless, although deleted, with a wish that maybe it is the start of something new and better. – “That would be worth it.” it ends.
It is, with sparse words, an homage to the creative process and a thank-you to all that have the time and set-of-mind to appreciate the not-quite-perfect, not-quite there-yet.
Two of the copies were sent to Zoran who was going to bind them. One copy for his travelling exhibition, another copy will be send back to me. The first book (that will remain with him) is now finished. He send me some pictures of his binding, and I wanted to share them with you.
The way he suspended the parchment pages in cardboard frames reminds me of the frames on which parchment is made originally, and I like how the book gains substance throught this process. The letter E for a title is perfect, very similar to my handwriting on the pages, especially on the first of which the title “Erased” is written in such curvy letter.
Each book bound is a solution found to a problem, and my solution for this problem would have been very different. That is why I am very happy with this collaboration, because I could not have made this book on my own.
The book will soon join the travelling exhibition organized by Zoran himself. The name of for the show is Multilines, multivoices, shapes and photos (Friendly synergy – artist’s book). Each book is a collaboration of Zoran with a fellow (book) artist. For most he bound the book which features content from someone else, but for some he provided handmade paper or a similar component, and the book was finished by the other artist.
It started in October 2013 in Đurđevac, and is traveling from library to library in Croatia. Today 14/11/2014 is the opening of the 8th exhibition in Petrinja – so if you should be close, visit the library and take a look (and a photo, and show it off!). Click here to go to a gallery of images of the books finished so far.
It just so happens that in the past week(s) I, too, had to solve the same problem: Pretty much from the start, Zoran and I thought, it would be fitting to enter a copy of Erased to the 7th Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2015 with the topic Error {mistake}. But then Zoran had a lot of work thrown at him, and it became clear that Zoran wouldn’t have the books finished in time. – I hardly made it either, with the book finished just in time last Thursday. Initially I wanted to write the text once more, but then (due to lack of time) decided to just rewrite the informational first page and use one of the three copies that remained with me when I first made them.
The pages are supposed to look a little rough, not quite there, and I wanted the binding to fit in with that look. This mixture of precious and yet not the best you could get. Another post will follow, with a making off, too, I don’t want to draw all the attention from Zoran’s work.
Ah, so that’s what you were “mending” parchment!
Zoran’s book is an interesting binding.
I love Zoran’s binding: as you have said, the stitching reminds the viewer of how the skin was stretched. Can’t wait to see more on your version.
Thanks – to both of you! I am happy to see you interested. And thanks a lot for your kind words. The post about my copy will be up as soon as possible. – Maybe next weekend? I will need to find the time to actually write it, and time and work (urgend work that needs to get done) once again do not really fit together well.