There comes a time when every book starts to fall apart and it just isn’t worth trying to save. There’s many other copies in better condition and there’s nothing about THAT specific copy that merits repairing a broken binding or putting up with missing pages. Such old, tattered books are the perfect material for altered books. Altered books are simply books remade into new and interesting artwork. They’re no longer readable as a standard book, but are given new life as art.
I occasionally have customers come in looking for just this sort of damaged book. The book is interesting looking on the outside, has interesting old illustrations, etc. but is in poor shape overall and really has no value as a book anymore. I like to think when they haul away those damaged old tomes they’re off to be turned into beautiful things, like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis. Looking at that ugly old thing you’d never guess that there was life left in it, let alone something beautiful.
Some examples of interesting altered books. (click any image to see it at the original source)
Painting over or printing on old text is one of the most common alterations. It’s often done on loose pages rather than a whole book. This image is an interesting spin as it incorporates selected pieces of the original text to compliment the image. The text is thus integral to the image, not just an interesting background.
[source of image no. 1 http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41197237]
Books are often carved down to show selected words, to give the words a physical shape.
Sometimes the shape of the book as BOOK is the most important part. It serves as the frame that gives context to the art and the story.
Sometimes the printed word is wildly warped so that it’s barely recognizable as a book at all. But the meaning is carried through even as the form is twisted and warped.
Even if the image and text are totally reconfigured into another shape entirely, the book is still an important part of the art. Without the book, this would be a nice house… but to live inside a book has a totally different meaning…
Not every old book will be so lucky. The vast majority of old, damaged books will simply be recycled into wood pulp and used to print new books. But some small number will get a second act as art.
I participated in a local art show a few years ago, called “Long Overdue.” It was sponsored jointly by the Portland Public Library and the Maine College of Art, where the whole aim of the show was to make that sort of junkbook-to-art transformation occur. It was great fun to do, and then to see what everyone else came up with… wow!
Definitely a great way to give new life to old books. 🙂 The great part of it was that the Portland Public Library now has a collection of altered books that patrons can check out and take home to examine and display on their walls, etc. The link shows some beautiful examples of the pieces that came out of that effort.
It is always great to see somebody embrace the altered book format. As you say, a second act as art can be quite a good thing!
Hi Nora!
I loved these examples of altered book art! Thanks for an inspiring post, and also a great segue to our 2010 Biblio-Art Competition! We’ve opened our comp for this year (artists select an old book from an online booklist, or barrow in the shop) and create an artwork inspired by their selection. We put a list of 100 books up to begin, and we’ve just added another 30. Our exhibition opens on 12 June 2010, and we’ll also have the entries online.
People seem to be really enjoying this competition. We’re putting the money from the sales of the books back into prize money etc. And we get very excited about the artwork that is created as a result!
Jo (Blarney Books & Art)
After this weekend our 2010 Biblio-Art Exhibition will be on-line, at http://www.blarneybooks.com.au.
Amazing artworks, inspired by books!