Octopus
Artist's Book
1992 (published)
1992 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
'Octopus' is a large format artist's book comprising a poem by Elizabeth McDermitt, illustrated by Julie Chen and held in a dark green silk covered clam shell box. Chen's books invariably come within some kind of box or case, 'the fact that the reader is presented with a package that can be opened in order to get to the book is a very deliberate choice on my part.' Chen wants the revealing of the book to be part of the overall interactive experience. The opening of this particular box reveals a tunnel book with layered, die cut pages in shades of green and blue, attached to two accordion folded leaves. The lines of the poem run along the wave-shaped edges of the cut out pages, descending to a watery conclusion. When the book is fully extended the depths of the sea are evoked via the increasingly dark, ocean-hued ink until the pages ultimately become entwined with the tentacles of the octopus of the title, lurking in the very depths of the book.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Octopus (published title) |
| Materials and techniques | Printed book with die cut pages |
| Brief description | Artist's book, 'Octopus', by Elizabeth McDevitt and Julie Chen, Flying Fish Press, Berkeley, 1992. |
| Physical description | Artist's book (tunnel book). The compound binding is constructed using a double spine accordion-fold binding. The whole is variously die cut through the front cover and leaves to create an impression of depth when fully extended. Fragments of the poem can be seen on alternate leaves. Printed in various shades of blue and green to give an impression of the octopus of the title in the depths of the ocean. Letterpress printed on Magnani Pescia & Crescent papers in Cochin bold italic, designed and engineered by Elizabeth McDevitt and Julie Chen, the boxes were made by Sandy Tilcock. NAL copy is no. 29 in a limited edition of 100 copies. |
| Dimensions |
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| Summary | 'Octopus' is a large format artist's book comprising a poem by Elizabeth McDermitt, illustrated by Julie Chen and held in a dark green silk covered clam shell box. Chen's books invariably come within some kind of box or case, 'the fact that the reader is presented with a package that can be opened in order to get to the book is a very deliberate choice on my part.' Chen wants the revealing of the book to be part of the overall interactive experience. The opening of this particular box reveals a tunnel book with layered, die cut pages in shades of green and blue, attached to two accordion folded leaves. The lines of the poem run along the wave-shaped edges of the cut out pages, descending to a watery conclusion. When the book is fully extended the depths of the sea are evoked via the increasingly dark, ocean-hued ink until the pages ultimately become entwined with the tentacles of the octopus of the title, lurking in the very depths of the book. |
| Bibliographic reference | Speaking of book art: interviews with British and American book artists, by Cathy Courtney (Los Altos Hill, Ca.: Anderson-Lovelace; London: Red Gull, 1999. |
| Other number | X930119 - NAL Pressmark |
| Collection | |
| Library number | 38041993107663 |
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| Record created | February 13, 2014 |
| Record URL |
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