Book Art: Brian Dettmer

What does a book look like on the inside, before you open it? When you consider what a book represents: knowledge, imagination, fantasy, history, does that change your understanding of what a book might look like?

Kate and I have been talking about uploading photos of our book collections and bookshelves to the blog: it is a noted phenomenon that avid readers and booksellers tend to have not only large collections of books, but some inherent urge to organise them in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing as well as useful. Either that or a big wobbly pile in the corner of the room (although I think there's something quite pleasing about that too).

The Mystery of Matter, Brian Dettmer, 2009.
Image courtesy of the artist and Packer Schopf

But we also talk a lot about the aesthetic qualities of individual texts themselves. If you follow us on twitter (and you should, we're ever so funny), you'll know that we talk a lot about the covers of books we receive, both raving about ones we like and highlighting trends. But sometimes books can be made into art, that is, the objects themselves can be elevated by human intervention to be something more than they were, something that is both culturally and conceptually significant. Books are always strongly representative, and with some artistic tweaking, they become even more so.

All this long-winded preamble is a way of introducing one of my favourite artists, Brian Dettmer. I missed his London show in 2011 and was gutted, as although the images below are going to blow your flippin' minds, I really want to get up close to some of the works in question. I do own an excellent book in which he features, and though we're not going to use this website for sales or anything, give me a ring/tweet/pop in to the shop if you're interested in it. He's also a rather excellent chap, when I emailed him to ask if I could use some of his image on the Village Books blog (without offering him a penny, mind), he went "Yeah, sure."

A brief Google will demonstrate what you can do with 'book art,' but Dettmer is my favourite artist in this field because he works go beyond the simple points of transformation and comparison. They have a depth of scope and meaning that seems appropriate, given the original media. Here's the man himself, speaking on his website:

"The richness and depth of the book is universally respected yet often undiscovered as the monopoly of the form and relevance of the information fades over time. The book’s intended function has decreased and the form remains linear in a non-linear world. By altering physical forms of information and shifting preconceived functions, new and unexpected roles emerge. This is the area I currently operate in. Through meticulous excavation or concise alteration I edit or dissect communicative objects or systems such as books, maps, tapes and other media. The medium’s role transforms. Its content is recontextualized and new meanings or interpretations emerge." -Brian Dettmer

The images below are mostly of books, though Mr. Dettmer also works on other media. The edges of the books are sealed, and then the pages are cut into using knives and surgical tools to reveal what's underneath. What's stunning for me is that nothing is introduced or moved: everything that you see below was there waiting to  be revealed. I think it's about as close as can be got to showing the 'soul' of an object.

Tower of Babble, 2011.
Image courtesy of the artist and  Kinz + Tillou Fine Art

Compiled Upon a New Plan, 2010.
Image courtesy of the artist and Packer Schopf

New Universal, 2007.
Image courtesy of the artist and MiTO Gallery

United, 2005.
Image courtesy of the artist and Packer Schopf

The Life of Vertebrates, 2007.
Image courtesy of the artist and Packer Schopf

World Guide, 2005.
Image courtesy of the artist and Packer Schopf

You Can Do Nothing, 2012.
Image courtesy of the artist and Saltworks.

Wound, 2006.
Image courtesy of the artist.

 I don't think Mr. Dettmer has any upcoming shows/ galleries in England, but his work is currently featured in a group exhibition at the Musee de la Halle Saint Pierre in Paris. Hey! Modern Art and Pop Culture runs until the 23rd of August 2013.

You should absolutely visit his website, and also his photostream on Flickr.

The images in this post are all used with permission, and are the property of Brian Dettmer