While in the state of North Carolina, I reached out to Josh Hockensmith, Art Library Assistant for the Joseph C. Sloane Art Library of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill for the presentation of my artists’ books.
Prior to my visit, Josh asked if perusing the collection would be of interest, if so, he would be delighted to pull a selection of books for me. Enthusiastically looking through their collection in the Artstor image database, I chose several books. The artists' books that interested me where the ones relating to subject matters in my own or future books. I was also interested in researching different interpretations of similar themes or innovative concept while at Hanes Art Center.
I presented my artists’ books to Josh Hockensmith and Alice Whiteside, the head of the art library. After our session, Joshua talked about Angela Lorenz’s artists’ book called Soap Story. As, I washed my hands with one of the last six tiny bars of soap, I found myself instrumental in helping an artist realize her goal by releasing a little more of the text, silk-screened on linen pages placed inside the soap.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. A selection of books that were pulled for me to peruse at the Joseph C. Sloane Art Library of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
Afterwards, I was guided to a table full of artists’ books for me to genuinely enjoy. It was thrilling to be able to properly view artists’ books included on my short list. Some were seen online, others discovered through conversations, without having the unique experience of reading them first hand.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. High Tension: Montage by Philip Zimmermann. Paperback machine-sewn, offset printing, unpaged.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. High Tension: Montage by Philip Zimmermann. “I wanted to create a book that investigated stress and perhaps even looked into ways of relieving it.” — PhilipZimmerman.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Sanctus Sonorensisby Philip Zimmermann, Spaceheater Editions. Board book, offset printing, 90 unnumbered pages, color illustrations, 28 cm.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Sanctus Sonorensis by Philip Zimmermann. “The cover image is part of the Sonoran desert in Southern Arizona about 50 miles from Lukeville and just a couple of miles from the Mexican border. It is one of the most heavily trafficked and dangerous entry points for illegal Mexican immigrants entering the United States. Many die there each year from exposure and lack of water. The skyscapes are all photographed in New Mexico and Arizona during 2003 and 2004.”
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. The fortune teller by Malini Gupta. Digitally printed, Japanese Stab binding, waxed paper infused with the smell of incense; 17 unnumbered leaves-color illustrations in a box + 1 folded sheet.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Mutually Exclusive by Emily Martin, Naughty Dog Press. Magic wallet, letterpress printing, 12x17 cm, unpaged.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Mutually Exclusive by Emily Martin.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Anything from Anywhere by Emily Tipps, RG Brian Dickson, Jon Pierce, and Jennifer Moore. Single-fold pamphlet in a clamshell box, letterpress printing, handmade papers, 21 x 14 cm; 1 box (4 volumes of 16 or 20 pages each.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Sidewalk Salon by Manar Moursi, Cairo Al Kotob Khan for Publishing. Smyth sewing, offset printing.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Sidewalk Salonby Manar Moursi. 214 pages illustrations, 26 cm + 3 maps.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Sidewalk Salon by Manar Moursi.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. The Sundown Salon unfolding archive: a project by Fritz Haeg.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. The Sundown Salon unfolding archive: a project by Fritz Haeg.
After naturally viewing my web site Josh added quite a few more artists’ books that might peek a mutual interest. I enjoyed Josh’s excellent selection.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Age Specific by Dennis Marsico. Accordion fold, letterpress printing, digital prints, 13 sequences in one box.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Age Specific by Dennis Marsico.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Atlas of Punctuation by Heidi Neilson. Case binding, letterpress printing, 29 pages.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Atlas of Punctuation by Heidi Neilson.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Atlas of Punctuation by Heidi Neilson.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Descendant by Jennifer Brook. Artist improvised structure, coptic binding, letterpress printing, wooden bindings, 12 pages, 20 x 10 x 11 cm.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Descendant by Jennifer Brook.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Transplant by Jennifer Brook, Tree House Press. Coptic binding, letterpress printing, unpaged, 17 cm.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Transplant by Jennifer Brook.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Intrusion by Ellen Knudson, Crooked Letter Press. 18 double leaves color illustrations wood cuts in slipcase.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Intrusion by Ellen Knudson. Illustrations 29 x 19 cm in slipcase 30 x 19 cm.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Intrusion by Ellen Knudson.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. The square by Islam Aly. Coptic binding, laser cut, 160 unnumbered pages, chiefly illustrations, 12 cm.
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. The square by Islam Aly. “Tahrir Square in Cairo became the focal point and the most effective symbol of the protests in January and February 2011. For 18 days Egyptians repeated the slogan: The People Want to Bring down the Regime (al-sha`b yurid isqat al-nizam) until the regime stepped down on the 11th of February 2011. Cairo’s map is laser engraved on the book covers. Three edges of the book are colored then laser engraved to demonstrate the streets of Cairo.”
© 2019 Louise Levergneux. The square by Islam Aly.
I also viewed Fragments from the stacked deck by Judy Anderson, Nexus Press. Loose-leaf in enclosure, offset printing."This book began in outrage, a response to the increasing reports of violence against women in the world. Text fragments were taken from the daily news, juxtaposed with one woman's voice." A deck of cards offset printed in color on one side and black-and-white on the opposite side, with silhouettes of women and "feminine" forms such as vases and floral/botanical imagery cut out from surrounding fields of text.
Panorama by Julie Chen; took two people to handle for viewing, so, Josh helped me to experience the book opened as it revealed various panoramic views. Panorama contains two main sections, each with layered pop-ups. Each page contains relief and pressure print images and texts. When completely opened the book measures 5 feet wide. Housed in a cloth-covered, drop-spine box.
My books and I were well received, and I enjoyed viewing some incredible creations from some talented artists. Later onI will provide feedback on the results of my visit.
I hope you enjoyed reading of my visit at the Joseph C. Sloane Art Library. I wish you all a great year 2020.