43, According to Robin Price, with Annotated Bibliography
43, According to Robin Price, with Annotated Bibliography
Text excerpts from 86 books significant to me—mostly other artist’s books—were gathered using formulas based on the number 43, which was my age at the genesis of the project. Paper maps from locations along the 43rd parallels are bound in an accordion that structurally supports the main text, which is printed on graph paper and also hinged together as an accordion. A Legend Card and supplemental Annotated Bibliography are included. 43 was directly inspired by the fifty-volume Zweite Enzyklöpadie von Tlön, by Ines v. Ketelhodt and Peter Malutzki, and Arplines by Harry Reese. A river, borrowed from the Ninja Press book The Real World of Manuel Córdova, flows through the text sheets.
The unusual double-layer accordion, housed in a printed cloth-covered clamshell box, is co-designed and co-produced with Daniel E. Kelm at the Wide Awake Garage. The typefaces are hand-set ATF Garamond and Kabel. Six colors printed letterpress. All additional printing within the structure is letterpress, except for the laser-printed text sheets of the 32 pp bibliography.
11.75 x 8 x 1.5 inches, opens to 20 ft wide; 32 pages with supplemental 32 pp booklet;
Standard edition, 86 copies [2007-08]; Deluxe edition, 12 copies [2009]
Deluxe Edition
With the book 43, According to Robin Price, with Annotated Bibliography, the press offers a deluxe edition for the first time. The adventure provided an opportunity to expand upon some of the concepts within the book and to have a close collaboration with Daniel E. Kelm, the illustrious Chief Mechanic & Alchemist of the Wide Awake Garage. Themes of systems, pathways, and order are paralleled with chaos and the unknown; meaning is conveyed through movement, visuals, and objects, in contrast to the text-laden book.
The fundamental difference between the two editions is the elaborate container housing the deluxe. A tumbling motion occurs when one opens the case, mimicking the river that visually flows through the text pages. Along the way, one encounters a compass, fractal patterns and labyrinths, and a large-scale grid that echoes the maps inside. A unique collage of various map tidbits is recessed on the cover. The goatskin leather exterior vibrates with two intensely-colored greens and a painted turquoise river. Techniques used to work the leather include sandblasting, hand painting, die stamping, and recessed & open windows.
Wrapping the cover boards is St. Armand handmade paper that is printed, painted, and foil-stamped in a pattern based on prime numbers. Within the map accordion for the book, the deluxe offers several rare maps. The colophon, with revised text and an additional color, features press-numbering from D43.1to D43.12; these edition numbers are also printed within the case.
One dozen (because 4 x 3 = 12) copies of 43 will be offered in deluxe format. When fully open, the case lies flat to a 40-inch-wide expanse. The height is 27.5 inches where top and bottom flaps occur. Please refer to the standard edition for general description and additional details common to both. Publication fall 2009. Price information available upon request.
Backstory
