Instead of layering images and text on top of each other, he treats books his main medium like blocks of marble, carving away to reveal complex threedimensional creations. A large body of his current work is created by altering vintage books and assembling sets of books into intricate and innovative sculptures. Book art by brian dettmer artist s statement the age of information in physical form is waning. Brian dettmer is an artist that transforms books and other found objects into elaborate sculptures. Why you should listen new yorkbased artist brian dettmer carves intricate sculptures from outdated materials like encyclopedias, textbooks, maps and cassette tapes. Brian dettmer, from the preface of art made from books. Nothing inside the outofdate encyclopedias, medical. Brian dettmer, also known as the book surgeon uses knives, tweezers and surgical tools to carve old dictionaries and encyclopedias into incredible works of art. Increasingly, contemporary artists have been exploring the interplay among the function, structure, and format of books. Jan 30, 2019 book art by brian dettmer artist s statement the age of information in physical form is waning. What georgiabased artist brian dettmer does to books would make any bibliophile or librarian cringe.
Knownfor sculpture, altered book, found object brian dettmer born 1974 is an american contemporary artist. Mark strassmann reports on dettmers vision for a vanishing form of art. By remixing, brian dettmer is making something more new, more contemporary. From the watermill center benefit auction, brian dettmer, western civilizations 2016, hardcover book, acrylic varnish, 9 12. Sculptor brian dettmer who can turn a book into an. Nothing inside the outofdate encyclopedias, medical journals, illustration books, or dictionaries is relocated or implanted, only removed. He also goes on to say, im thinking also about breaking out of the box of the traditional book and pushing that linear format, and try to push the structure of the book itself so that the book can become fully sculptural. In his atlanta studio, dettmer transforms medical texts, art history tomes, military manuals, and more. He is noted for his alteration of preexisting mediasuch as old books, maps, record albums, and. Artist brian dettmer challenges media that has been cast aside. Hes also constructed sculptures from melted cassette tapes. Mark strassmann reports on dettmer s vision for a vanishing form of art. In his work brian begin with an existing book and seals its edges, creating an enclosed vessel full of unearthed potential. You have javascript disabled for the best experience, please turn javascript on.
Book sculpture by artist brian dettmer i was looking into book sculptures wondering what kind of creative things people can do with books and came across these amazing pieces by brian dettmer. The book surgeon brian dettmer, is an artist that creates absolutely incredible pieces of art by carving individual pages of old books mainly out of date dictionaries and encyclopaedias. A preface by pioneering artist brian dettmer and an introduction by design critic alyson kuhn round out the collection. What do you do with an outdated encyclopedia in the information age. Born in chicago but currently living and working out of atlanta, georgia, contemporary artist brian dettmer creates incredible works of art with old books and tremendous patience. Using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, brian dettmer carves one page at a time. Nov 07, 2011 book art by brian dettmer artist s statement the age of information in physical form is waning.
Until 2006, dettmer lived in and around chicago, where he earned a ba in fine arts. To create his works dettmer seals the object with varnish, then swiftly and deftly moves through it with an xacto knife until he comes out the other side, cutting away material to form something new. Last weeks video was a meditation on letterpress printing and the book as a physical object. With xacto knives and an eye for a good remix, artist brian dettmer makes beautiful, unexpected sculptures that. Artist uses surgical tools to carve books into stunning works. He manipulates the pages and spines, folds, bends, rolls, and stacks multiple books to create his book sculptures. Biography brian dettmer is known for his artwork that involves the alteration of information media. Artist makes highpriced sculptures from old books youtube. Old books, cassette tapes, records and maps are the artist s medium. Since the rise of the ereader, books have been on the decline. Book surgeon uses surgical tools to make incredible book. In there books, my anecdotal text becomes incorporated into structures that emphasize a stereotype of my ethnicity chinese takeout boxes and fortune cookies. Employing a variety of techniques and mediums from sculpture to origami, texasbased artist isaac salazar and georgiabased brian dettmer are two artists to watch.
His exhibitions abroad is earning him increasing international reputation. Standard circle, 2009, hardcover book, acrylic varnish, 6. These intricately carved books are the work of artist brian dettmer. Brian dettmer artwork video exhibitions bibliography collections bio cv contact 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 20 2012 2011 2010. Using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, brian meticulously exposes various layers to create his mindblowing artwork. Using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, dettmer carves one page at a time. Dissections and excavations in book art brings together the work of five mixedmedia artists from around the world who, using books as a point of departure, sculpt, scrape, bend, and carve to create astonishing compositions. Old books reborn as art takes outdated reference materials such as textbooks and encyclopedias, seals them with varnish, then carves away at their pages with an xacto knife. Find the latest shows, biography, and artworks for sale by brian dettmer. Dettmer is a leading artist working with the object of the book.
Mar 26, 2012 artist brian dettmer approaches books with knives, tweezers, and bladesharp ideas about the meanings of media and information. Atlanta artist brian dettmer creates memorable works of art by slicing, whittling and tearing into books. Brian dettmer takes materials whose original function has faded most famously books, but also maps, tapes, and other media to recontextualize new. Complete and authoritative book of games by brian dettmer i like how its cut so perfectly, it. Brian dettmer fact approach out 2017 available for. Selective collective memories, is in the east gallery of the albany museum of art. Feb 06, 2015 what do you do with an outdated encyclopedia in the information age. Book art carvings by brian dettmer brian dettmer born naperville, il is a new yorkbased artist known for his detailed and innovative sculptures with books and other forms of antiquated media. Complete and authoritative book of games by brian dettmer.
Dec 14, 2010 10 visual artists who use books as their medium. Dettmer s justification of book art that books also have the potential to continue to grow and to continue to become new things, that books really are alive, leaves us still squirming on the hook when steele asks, what happens when artists explode the scale and take books much, much larger. Life and art brian dettmer, born in 1974, was raised in naperville, illinois. Continuing that theme, heres a ted talk from artist brian dettmer, who painstakingly carves old books. New books of knowledge, 2009, altered books, 16 x 2612. Brian dettmer is a new yorkbased artist born in 1974 in naperville, illinois. Exhibit breathes new life into old books at um museum. Brian dettmer turns books into sculptural pieces sfgate. Artist brian dettmer makes sculptures by carving books. The artist calls himself the book surgeon because he uses knives, tweezers, and surgical tools to carve the art works out of old medical journals, illustration books, dictionaries, map books and encyclopedias. It is recycling, but not just in the material sense. May 15, 2011 atlanta artist brian dettmer creates memorable works of art by slicing, whittling and tearing into books. Presented in an unusual, tactile package with an exposed spine, this is an essential addition to the libraries of book lovers and art aficionados.
At first glance, brian dettmer s work might look like collage, but its really the inverse. New yorkbased artist brian dettmer creates impressively intricate multilayered sculptures from books. Brian dettmer the american adventure 2015 available. Brian dettmer takes materials whose original function has. Artist uses surgical tools to carve books into stunning. Brian dettmer reveals the mysteries of the mind at moca ga. Fascinating book and paper art by brian dettmer pictures. Brian dettmers narrative sculptures from old books the work of book sculpture artist, brian dettmer, is at once overwhelming and aweinspiring. Brian dettmer the new practical reference 2018 artsy. Artist brian dettmer makes sculptures by carving books the. Artist brian dettmer carves old books into intricate narrative sculptures read more. There are the pretty and surprisingly political sculptures from wallpaper sample books.
Where other artists merely treat books as a medium to be sculpted, dettmer interacts with the text to reveal its synaptic structures and in turn, the very workings of the human brain. With xacto knives and an eye for a good remix, artist brian dettmer. Nov 07, 2014 you can call brian dettmer a marvelous sculptor, a one of a kind artist, a genius of the highest level, but i think book worm fits him best. Intricate book art carvings by brian dettmer twistedsifter. From cantor fitzgerald gallery, haverford college, brian dettmer, the big fun book 2012, hardcover book, acrylic varnish, 10 14.
Dettmers work has a sort of vintage touch to it because he uses old books maps, encyclopedias, textboo. To create new art, brian dettmer trashes old books. Continuing that theme, heres a ted talk from artist brian dettmer, who painstakingly carves old books into amazing sculptures. Dettmer knifes through books swiftly from cover to cover to reveal images that explore our relationship to information.
A new exhibition of artwork by new yorkbased artist and book sculptor brian dettmer is on display at the university of mississippi museum and rowan oak through aug. As intangible routes thrive with quicker fluidity, material and history are being lost, slipping and eroding into the ether. May 31, 2011 the 36yearold atlanta based artist has carved dozens of intricate sculptures from volumes dumped in thrift shops or at bookstores. Artist brian dettmer carves old books into intricate. Artist brian dettmer approaches books with knives, tweezers, and bladesharp ideas about the meanings of media and information. Artist brian dettmer repurposes old books and media, using an exacto knife to create gorgeous narrative sculptures. From su blackwells whimsical popup landscapes to the stackedbook sculptures of kylie stillman, each portfolio celebrates the incredible creative diversity of the medium. New yorkbased artist brian dettmer carves intricate sculptures from outdated materials like encyclopedias, textbooks, maps and cassette tapes. Book sculptor brian dettmer brian dettmer sculpts the pages of old books, excavating and revealing new meaning from this old form of media. Brian dettmer, a new yorkbased artist known as the book surgeon, uses tweezers, knives, scalpels and other surgical tools to dissect and carve old books into intricate and beautiful sculptures. Dettmer s work has a sort of vintage touch to it because he uses old books.
For over ten years, he has carved and reshaped old, used books, revealing new connections by slicing away segments of pages. Brian dettmer is known for his artwork that involves the alteration of information media. Brian is a new york based artist, born in 1974 in naperville, illinois, and for the past decade or so, he has amazed the world with his beautiful sculptural books. The university of mississippi museum brian dettmer. Sep 12, 2009 americana 2009 altered encyclopedia volumes by brian dettmer 40. Brian dettmer artist originally from chicago and now living and working in atlanta, brian dettmer is known for his detailed and innovative sculptures with books and other forms of antiquated media.
Dettmers work has a sort of vintage touch to it because he uses old books maps, encyclopedias, textbooks, manuals, and any other sort of literature that he can turn into an interesting piece of art. We pull from the past to make something new, the way art always has. On view through april 29, the show explores the transformation of everyday books into expressions of identity, community, environmentalism, memory, and reconstructed narratives. Curated by michelle tillou at the springbreak art show ny. He is noted for his alteration of preexisting mediasuch as old books, maps, record albums, and cassette tapesto create new, transformed works of visual fine art. I wanted to create a stack of books so that somebody could come into the gallery and think theyre just looking at a regular stack of books, but then as they got closer they would see this rough. With xacto knives and an eye for a good remix, artist brian dettmer makes beautiful, unexpected sculptures that breathe new life into old books. This is evident in the text and structure of my first artist book banana yellow and my third artist book, fortune ate me. Intricate book art carvings by brian dettmer artofit. Altered, sculpted, carved, transformed heyenga, laura, dettmer, brian, kuhn, alyson on. Brian dettmer is a prolific american artist based in atlanta.
Brian dettmer is a new yorkbased artist born in 1974 in naperville, illinois known for his detailed and innovative sculptures with books and other forms of antiquated media. A large body of his current work is created by altering vintage books. Born in chicago but currently living and working out of atlanta, georgia, contemporary artist brian dettmer creates incredible works of art with. His moundstyle pieces are so rounded and polished that reference books appear to be carved wood.
After carefully selecting the source and subject for his investigations, dettmer determines the architecture of construction and aesthetics of presentation for his. Brian dettmer born 1974 is an american contemporary artist. Have you seen cmas new exhibition, a way with words. Oct 31, 2008 brian dettmer has done other kinds of work, too. New books of knowledge, 2009, altered books, 16 x 2612 x 10 image courtesy of the artist and packer schopf more information find this pin and more on art books, paper ii by orlff. Artist brian dettmer digs into a good book literally, with a knife to create beautifully intricate forms that reflect how we see old information in a modern world. With x acto knives and an eye for a good remix, artist brian dettmer. Brian dettmer, one word at a time detail, 2012, paperback books with acrylic varnish and adhesive.
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