University of Northampton invited book artists to make a work on the theme: Add Book Collaborate: an exhibition of experimental books. (You can find out more here. http://www.weloveyourbooks.com/page2/page2.html Scroll down their page to see my images.) Simple objects (children's letter books) from my environment combine with inspiration from one word, FORM, giving birth to a collection of ideas and applications. As you already know, I enjoy transforming unwanted, or secondhand books into a new experience. I started altering children’s alphabet books in 2006, and was asked to submit a piece to the ABC Exhibition while at LAB 06. Brainstorming with the title: Add/ Book/ Collaborate, Form followed naturally.
The accompanying boxwork, FORMED, is made from the letter book shapes, but 'form' becomes 'formed'. Readily available materials were used. The outer sides replicate the embossed letters from the books, the punched holes mark the starting point for writing the letters. With just a few apertures to see into the box a smaller red box can be glimpsed. The word 'perfectly' is printed on all its sides. 'Perfectly formed' becomes a continuum for the bookwork FORM through its subject matter, material and exploration of the word 'form'. Perfectly formed is the baby in the womb, a child's first letters and, ultimately, the shape of a woman's body despite her imperfections.
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