New York-based artist BriÂan Dettmer cuts into old books with X‑ACTO knives and turns them into remixed works of art. SpeakÂing at TED Youth last NovemÂber, he told the audiÂence, “I think of my work as sort of a remix .… because I’m workÂing with someÂbody else’s mateÂrÂiÂal in the same way that a D.J. might be workÂing with someÂbody else’s music.” “I carve into the surÂface of the book, and I’m not movÂing or adding anyÂthing. I’m just carvÂing around whatÂevÂer I find interÂestÂing. So everyÂthing you see withÂin the finÂished piece is exactÂly where it was in the book before I began.”
Dettmer puts on disÂplay his pretÂty fanÂtasÂtic creÂations, all while explainÂing how he sees the book — as a body, a techÂnolÂoÂgy, a tool, a machine, a landÂscape, a case study in archaeÂolÂoÂgy. The talk runs six minÂutes and delivÂers more than the averÂage TED Talk does in 17.
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It is quite clever, but what books is he chopÂping up? Why doesÂn’t he do this to some of the new mass-proÂduced books that are clogÂging up library shelves?
LonÂdon-based artist LinÂda ToiÂgo makes simÂiÂlar artÂworks with books and magÂaÂzines:
https://lindatoigo.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/fairy-tales-and-anatomy/
http://www.lindatoigo.com/works/art/
When I saw the briÂtanÂnicÂca encyÂcloÂpeÂdias that were carved. Then I laughed but this makes perÂfectÂly good sense. Can’t sell them nor give them away. To donate them, they will end up in a landÂpile someÂwhere. I realÂly would like if you took my set that I bought in the 80s and do them the same way. You wouldÂn’t even have to ship them back to me. SculpÂture them just as beauÂtiÂful! Just send the copy of the phoÂto to me online, so that I could make a blowup poster and keep for me to admire and to disÂplay it and make it as a conÂverÂsaÂtion piece. Sort of like the end of a era and a final seperÂaÂtion of the heart and depreÂciÂaÂtion of my hard earned monÂey. Before I release them to you as a great artist and scupÂturÂer. Is this someÂthing you can do for me at no cost? Please respond back. Love to hear your take on this!
WeedÂing is a necÂesÂsary evil in pubÂlic libraries. A few years ago, a friend had finÂished a long project digÂiÂtizÂing refÂerÂence books for the State Library. They were getÂting ready to take hunÂdreds of volÂumes, which were no longer curÂrent or corÂrect to a landÂfill. I remindÂed her that Mr. Dettmer lived just north in a subÂurb of Atlanta and might be interÂestÂed. She called, and he said he’d look, and after seeÂing them, got a UHaul, and he took them off, to a recyÂcled future. I call that a win.