Artist's book, 'Lijepa naša domovina' by Andrew Norris, 1992-1993

Unique artist's book painted with acrylic, soil and PVA with the following scripts over images: "Lijepa naša domovina - Our beautiful homeland

Cover: front, back and spine - 3ply plywood, hinge - canvas, earth mixed with PVA.

Pages: photocopy paper painted with acrylic, soil and PVA. Dried, pages brushed over with PVA, grass, dried and pressed onto pages. Further solution of PVA diluted with water and 'spray misted' over pages. Pages bound in book with archival acid-free tape.

Photographic images: pictures photocopied from newspapers and journals, overpainted with acrylic. Found objects: fragments of wood, bricks and shattered glass, bread, corn straws, birds wing, carnation, hair, gold chain, brambles and grass gathered from the streets of London and adhered to the page with UHU strong clear adhesive. Barbed wire stitched to page.

Housed in a wooden box painted with acrylic, soil and PVA. The inside is lined with dried grass. The lid is attached to two sides of the box and has found objects glued to it (grass, straw, fragments of wood and terracotta tiles, bones, one necklace, one black & white photograph).

Book signed and dated in black acrylic on back board: Andrew Norris 92.

12 pages

This book was conceived in 1992 as a response to the wars in Croatia and Bosnia. The title translates as 'Our beautiful homeland' and is the national anthem of Croatia. The pages of the book, as well as its cover and box, are covered with objects that the artist found in the streets of London. These include earth, grass and straw, as well as symbols of conflict such as broken glass and barbed wire. The use of pictures photocopied from newspapers adds to the documentary feel of the work.

38041993104959