Letters Box
Jones, Allen
London. Lu Pin for Alan Cristea Gallery. 2007
Allen Jones' scarce woodcut series - his only discrete use of woodcut - printed in China and featuring asemic calligraphic characters.
From the edition limited to 30 numbered copies with each print signed, numbered and dated by the artist in pencil; 7 artist proof copies were also issued.
Jones' woodcuts feature rows of asemic characters - the debt to Chinese characters as well as stylised versions of Jones' own images seems clear - together with colour vignettes more traditionally associated with Jones. The pictorial title features a photograph of Jones' sculpture 'Banquet' (2206) in situ at the Yuzi Paradise Sculpture Park in Guilin in China. The prints were printed and proofed in Beijing by Lu Pin and the box was made in Guangxi.
'The 'Letters Series' was the first time that Jones had used woodcut as a medium on its own and the result is remarkable. The prints seem quite unlike traditional woodcuts, which usually exhibit a much harder-edged line in printing.On a much smaller scale than the majority of the prints made during this period, the woodcuts closely relate to Jones’ large-scale sculpture 'Banquet' of three red steel figures, situated in the Yuzi Paradise Sculpture Park Guilin, China. The prints are characterised by rows of flowing calligraphic symbols that are heavily influenced by the style of Chinese characters but entirely imagined.' (Katherine Oliver).
[see Katherine Oliver's 'Allen Jones. Prints: 1996–2020', in: 'Catalogue Raisonné of the Prints 1996–2020 – Volume II', ed. by Thomas Levy, 2020, pp. 7 – 23.)
From the edition limited to 30 numbered copies with each print signed, numbered and dated by the artist in pencil; 7 artist proof copies were also issued.
Jones' woodcuts feature rows of asemic characters - the debt to Chinese characters as well as stylised versions of Jones' own images seems clear - together with colour vignettes more traditionally associated with Jones. The pictorial title features a photograph of Jones' sculpture 'Banquet' (2206) in situ at the Yuzi Paradise Sculpture Park in Guilin in China. The prints were printed and proofed in Beijing by Lu Pin and the box was made in Guangxi.
'The 'Letters Series' was the first time that Jones had used woodcut as a medium on its own and the result is remarkable. The prints seem quite unlike traditional woodcuts, which usually exhibit a much harder-edged line in printing.On a much smaller scale than the majority of the prints made during this period, the woodcuts closely relate to Jones’ large-scale sculpture 'Banquet' of three red steel figures, situated in the Yuzi Paradise Sculpture Park Guilin, China. The prints are characterised by rows of flowing calligraphic symbols that are heavily influenced by the style of Chinese characters but entirely imagined.' (Katherine Oliver).
[see Katherine Oliver's 'Allen Jones. Prints: 1996–2020', in: 'Catalogue Raisonné of the Prints 1996–2020 – Volume II', ed. by Thomas Levy, 2020, pp. 7 – 23.)
[13 unnumbered leavers]. Small folio. (430 x 340 mm). Leaf with pictorial photographic title, colophon verso and 12 original colour woodblock water prints on rice paper, each signed, numbered and dated by the artist in pencil; sheet size: 384 x 284 mm. Loose as issued in sliding drawer in original camphor wood box using traditional Chinese wood joints, additional corrugated card box with lid. 43.5 x 34.5 x 7.3 cm.
#48601
