The book of nails
Artists' Books
1992 (published)
1992 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This one-of-a-kind book object was produced by Floating Concrete Octopus, an intermedia/performance group which changes its name every year.
The work comprises a copy of a book entitled 'Vincent Van Gogh' which has been overpainted in black and sealed at the edges with two nuts and bolts. The covers of this unopenable book have been driven through with nails, the points of which face out threateningly, and then 'decorated' with splashes of red paint, resembling blood. A facsimile of Van Gogh's signature painted in gold is visible on the front cover, with a torn, collaged portrait of the artist on the lower cover, possibly portraying the pain of the famous artist's life.
The publisher's catalogue of 1990-91 wittily sums up the work's essential qualities: 'The one black book you will never open. This is the Wakest bible & essential reading for all devotees. Difficult reading.'
The work comprises a copy of a book entitled 'Vincent Van Gogh' which has been overpainted in black and sealed at the edges with two nuts and bolts. The covers of this unopenable book have been driven through with nails, the points of which face out threateningly, and then 'decorated' with splashes of red paint, resembling blood. A facsimile of Van Gogh's signature painted in gold is visible on the front cover, with a torn, collaged portrait of the artist on the lower cover, possibly portraying the pain of the famous artist's life.
The publisher's catalogue of 1990-91 wittily sums up the work's essential qualities: 'The one black book you will never open. This is the Wakest bible & essential reading for all devotees. Difficult reading.'
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The book of nails (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Book, nuts, bolts and nails, painted |
| Brief description | Artist's book, 'The book of nails', by Floating Concrete Octopus, Xexoxial Endarchy, Wisconsin, 1992 |
| Physical description | Unique artist's book. The artist has taken a copy of a book entitled "Vincent Van Gogh" and sealed it with two nuts and bolts, passing from the top and bottom of the front edge of its covers, respectively. Both covers are decorated with splashes of red paint and numerous nails, inserted with points facing outwards. The front cover bears a facsimile of Van Gogh's signature in gold paint, the back cover a torn portrait of Van Gogh, pasted on upside-down. Both signature and portrait are obscured by the nails and the red paint. |
| Dimensions |
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| Summary | This one-of-a-kind book object was produced by Floating Concrete Octopus, an intermedia/performance group which changes its name every year. The work comprises a copy of a book entitled 'Vincent Van Gogh' which has been overpainted in black and sealed at the edges with two nuts and bolts. The covers of this unopenable book have been driven through with nails, the points of which face out threateningly, and then 'decorated' with splashes of red paint, resembling blood. A facsimile of Van Gogh's signature painted in gold is visible on the front cover, with a torn, collaged portrait of the artist on the lower cover, possibly portraying the pain of the famous artist's life. The publisher's catalogue of 1990-91 wittily sums up the work's essential qualities: 'The one black book you will never open. This is the Wakest bible & essential reading for all devotees. Difficult reading.' |
| Other number | X930037 - NAL Pressmark |
| Collection | |
| Library number | 38041992107227 |
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| Record created | April 29, 2014 |
| Record URL |
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