Image: Christopher Russell, GRFALWKV, 2013-2014
Handmade book, carbon based fountain pen ink, pigmented fountain pen ink, spray paint, pressure sensitive adhesive, bound in cloth with collage on marbled boards
24 x 18 inches
COLLECTION OF THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM (LOS ANGELES) – Gift of the Mark & Hilarie Moore Collection
Upcoming Exhibition:
“Artists and Their Books/Books and Their Artists”
Upcoming, June 26 – October 28
Research Institute Galleries I and II
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Free | No ticket required
Artists’ books occupy a creative space between traditional books and contemporary works of art, challenging what a book can be. This highly visual and experiential presentation of some of the most lively and surprising works from the Research Institute’s extensive collections focuses on artists’ books that can be unpacked, unfolded, unfurled, or disassembled. They are made to be displayed on the wall or deployed as sculptures or installations. The exhibition seeks to provoke new inquiry into the nature of art and to highlight the essential role that books play in contemporary culture.
Christopher Russell (American, born 1974) begins with inkjet prints of landscapes, into which he etches intricate patterns and figures with a razorblade, transforming the photographs into layered narratives. Rather than destroying the image, his controlled, methodical process of scratching the surface adds layers of density and mystery to already enigmatic images that may capture sun glare, dense foliage, or repetitive pattern. Russell also engages in an active practice of writing and creating unique artist books and zines with psychological, folkloric undertones; photographic works connected to these texts acquire the status of hazy memories or dreamlike landscapes.
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