A Partial History (Book I), 2019
Archival inkjet print on luster paper, 9.6” x 7” (dimensions of unframed photograph)
This is a photograph of one of the books from my grandparents’ book collection. It is a schoolbook that belonged to my grandfather. The photograph of the book’s cover is printed in actual size.
A Partial History (Book I), 2019
Archival inkjet print on luster paper, 9.6” x 12.6” (dimensions of unframed photograph)
This is the title page of the same book as in image 01. The photograph of the title spread is printed in actual size.
A Partial History (Book I), 2018
Artist’s book of inkjet prints on matte paper, 8.5” x 5.7” x 1.5” (dimensions of closed book)
This book recreates the book shown in images 01–02. Specifically, this spread corresponds to the title page shown in image 02. It contains marks of use and time found on the pages of the original book.
A Partial History (Book I), 2018
Artist’s book of inkjet prints on matte paper, 8.5” x 5.7” x 1.5” (dimensions of closed book)
This is another spread from the same book as in image 03.
For each book, I trace marks of use and time by hand, page by page. I then scan, print, and bind the drawings into a new book containing only the excavated marks.
A Partial History (Book III) (exhibition view ), 2021
Framed photographs of book and artist’s book on shelf, dimensions variable
Shown as part of the group exhibition Cladogram at Katonah Museum of Art, NY, USA.
For this exhibition, I exhibited photographs of the original book alongside the recreated book. The photographs act as traces of the book, thus, allowing me to think about the notion of a trace in more expansive ways.
A Partial History (Book III), 2021
Archival inkjet print on luster paper, 10.6” x 8.6” x 1.5” (dimensions of framed photograph)
This is a photograph of one of the history books from my grandparents’ book collection. It is a schoolbook that belonged to my grandmother and great-uncle. The photograph is printed in actual size. This photograph will form part of the exhibition at the NARS Foundation.
A Partial History (Book III), 2021
Archival inkjet print on luster paper, 10.6” x 13” x 1.5” (dimensions of framed photograph)
This is a photograph of the title page of the same book as in image 07. The photograph is printed in actual size. This photograph will form part of the exhibition at the NARS Foundation.
A Partial History (Book III), 2021
Artist’s book of inkjet prints on smooth matte 100gsm paper, 6.6” x 4.7” x 1” (dimensions of closed book)
This book recreates the book shown in images 07–08. It contains marks of use and time found on the pages of the original book. This spread corresponds to the title page shown in image 08. This book will form part of the exhibition at the NARS Foundation (I will re-print the book with different paper and re-bind it).
A Partial History (Book III), 2021
Artist’s book of inkjet prints on smooth matte 100gsm paper, 6.6” x 4.7” x 1” (dimensions of closed book)
This is another spread from the same book as in image 09. The only thing I retain from the text of the original book are the page numbers.
A Partial History III (exhibition view ), 2022
Framed photographs and graphite drawing, dimensions variable
Shown as part of the two-person exhibition Volumes at Lane Meyer Projects, Denver, CO, USA.
For this exhibition, I showed photographs of two books and the large drawings corresponding to those books. Because of the specificities of this space, the drawings had to be shown attached on the wall. I have included a sketch that shows how the drawings will be installed in space (image 15).
A Partial History III, 2022
Graphite on 300gsm rough press watercolor paper and red oak, 5’6” x 3’11” (dimensions of drawing)
I drew all the marks from the odd pages of the artist’s book shown in images 07–08 on one side of the paper and all the marks from the even pages on the other side. To do this, I projected images of the book pages on the paper—one page at a time and at a ten-time magnification—and drew around all the projected marks. Because of the magnification, the drawn marks on the paper delineate the outlines of the marks on the book pages. This exhibition was the first time I showed the large drawings. I have since been working on other ways of displaying them (see image 15). This drawing will form part of the exhibition at the NARS Foundation but will be displayed differently.
A Partial History III (detail), 2022
Graphite on 300gsm rough press watercolor paper and red oak, 5’6” x 3’11” (dimensions of drawing)
I drew all the marks from the odd pages of the artist’s book shown in images 07–08 on one side of the paper and all the marks from the even pages on the other side. To do this, I projected images of the book pages on the paper—one page at a time and at a ten-time magnification—and drew around all the projected marks. Because of the magnification, the drawn marks on the paper delineate the outlines of the marks on the book pages.
A Partial History III (detail), 2022
Graphite on 300gsm rough press watercolor paper and red oak, 5’6” x 3’11” (dimensions of drawing)
I drew all the marks from the odd pages of the artist’s book shown in images 07–08 on one side of the paper and all the marks from the even pages on the other side. To do this, I projected images of the book pages on the paper—one page at a time and at a ten-time magnification—and drew around all the projected marks. Because of the magnification, the drawn marks on the paper delineate the outlines of the marks on the book pages.
Composite sketch showing potential installation at the NARS Foundation
The top left sketch shows the view when looking into the space, towards the window and brick wall. The bottom left sketch shows the view when looking from the window towards the elevator. The installation includes framed photographs of the covers and title pages of my grandparents’ schoolbooks on the walls (like those in images 01, 02, 07, 08), artist’s books recreating the schoolbooks (like those in images 03, 04, 09, 10), and large drawings, each a compressed and magnified version of an artist’s book (see the drawing in images 11-14). In these sketches, the artist’s books are shown on a wooden shelf on the right wall (bottom left sketch). I am still working on the details of what this shelf will look like. The audience will be able to take and “read” the recreated books. The large drawings, which average 5’6” (height) by 4’ (width), spread around the space and exist within wooden support structures or stands. These structures act like “spines” supporting the paper (and creating a connection with the books’ spines). The images on the right show maquettes of the drawings and support structures. I am still working on the details of what the support structures will look like. Please note that there are no drawn marks on the paper used in the maquettes.
(Installation art includes large-scale, mixed-media environments that often occupy an entire space and that require viewers to walk through the space to engage with the work. An installation is meant to be experienced as a unified artwork rather than an exhibition of separate artworks.)