Fountainhead
Smith, Kiki
(Columbus). Logan Elm Press. 1991
An excellent copy of Kiki Smith's artist book.
From the edition limited to 115 copies numbered copies on hand-made Abaca paper, with this one of 100 numbered in Arabic numerals and signed by Smith in pencil.
'Fountainhead' was published to coincide with the retrospective exhibition curated by Linda Shearer and Claudia Gould in 1992. The exhibition was 'organized by the Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, Massachussetts' which then travelled to 'the Wexner Center for the Arts at the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, in the same year.'
'A Surrealist tone pervades, however, in several artist's books that allude to the body as a nurturing, life-sustaining entity. 'Fountainhead' (1991) depicts several orifices, each leaking fluid - tears from the eyes, milk from the breasts, semen from the penis. The isolation and abrupt fragmentation of the body parts, and in some cases their provocative positioning on the paper, are reminiscent of Surrealism's jarring strategies. Several pages fold out, emulating a format common in medieval books - a strategy that Smith would use with increasing complexity in the future.' (Wendy Weitman, pp. 20 - 21).
[see 'Kiki Smith: Prints, Books & Things' by Wendy Weitman, MoMA, 2003].
From the edition limited to 115 copies numbered copies on hand-made Abaca paper, with this one of 100 numbered in Arabic numerals and signed by Smith in pencil.
'Fountainhead' was published to coincide with the retrospective exhibition curated by Linda Shearer and Claudia Gould in 1992. The exhibition was 'organized by the Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, Massachussetts' which then travelled to 'the Wexner Center for the Arts at the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, in the same year.'
'A Surrealist tone pervades, however, in several artist's books that allude to the body as a nurturing, life-sustaining entity. 'Fountainhead' (1991) depicts several orifices, each leaking fluid - tears from the eyes, milk from the breasts, semen from the penis. The isolation and abrupt fragmentation of the body parts, and in some cases their provocative positioning on the paper, are reminiscent of Surrealism's jarring strategies. Several pages fold out, emulating a format common in medieval books - a strategy that Smith would use with increasing complexity in the future.' (Wendy Weitman, pp. 20 - 21).
[see 'Kiki Smith: Prints, Books & Things' by Wendy Weitman, MoMA, 2003].
[18 unnumbered leaves]. 8vo. (205 x 135 mm). Half-title, title and 18 photoengraved plates (two on folding sheets) each with additional colour by hand, final leaf with colophon and justification. Original publisher's black cloth-backed black paper boards by the Campbell-Logan Bindery, paper labels with silver titles to spine, silver splatters - as issued - to front cover, silver pastedowns.
#48816
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