Sculpture -- Book Art

In class we had studied the work of Tom Trusky and the Idaho Center for the Book. Our assignment was to create a sculptural work based on a book. Our professor passed out instructions on how to create an accordion book and a long list of possible topics. I went from there. Here are two photos of my book art sculpture. One photo shows the places & poems and the other photo maps & directions. my artist's statement is below.

The Book Art sculpture, Places, Maps & Memories, is an accordion book of sixteen pages. It is constructed of simplex-printed paper, glue, thread, tape and graphite. Each page is 3 1/2 x 5 inches. The construction includes eight photographs associated with places I have lived and eight traditional maps showing the locations of these places. In addition there is a poem associated with each place and a psychological map that shows the way to each location.

When the accordion book is closed and flat, it fits into a hand-made envelope which can be closed with a paper-button clasp and thread. This envelope is approximately 3 3/4 x 5 1/4 inches.

When the accordion book is opened, it ties together with a paper-button clasp and thread. When joined together it forms a symmetrical, standing sculpture approximately 11 x 11 x 3 1/2 inches. The sculpture should stand slightly below eye level. It is a closed form and should be viewed from all sides. It is interactive, and fragile.

When the accordion book is joined it has two continuous faceted surfaces. One surface has eight photos associated with places I have lived. Each photo has a poem associated with it and next to it. The other surface has eight traditional maps that show the location of these places. Each traditional map also has a psychological map that shows the way to it. These are located next to each other.

When joined, the structure forms a kind of circular tube where the inside may be pulled up to become the outside and the outside rotates under to become the inside. Because of the offset nature of the structure, the map associated with a particular place does not sit exactly opposite it. To tie the place with its maps, all are lightly color-coded. The colors, in order, are: red, orange, yellow, light green, dark green, light blue, dark blue and gray.

The sculpture is designed to explore the idea of home and place and how one moves from place to place and why.