Mark strassmann reports on dettmer s vision for a vanishing form of art. The book surgeon brian dettmer uses scissors,knives and books to creat his sculpture. Book surgeon uses surgical tools to make incredible book. Old books reborn as art takes outdated reference materials such as textbooks and encyclopedias, seals them with varnish, then carves away at their pages with an xacto knife. Brian dettmer, also known as the book surgeon uses surgical tools to carve each page at a time creating a full proper carved artwork. Brian dettmer has breathed new life into old books by transforming them into surprising book art. He looks for text and pictures to save, and cuts away the rest. Originally from chicago and now living and working in atlanta, brian dettmer, aka the book surgeon, is known for his detailed and innovative sculptures with books and other forms of antiquated media and this wonderful series is his latest in dadainspired carved works. What georgiabased artist brian dettmer does to books would make any bibliophile or librarian cringe. These sculptures are made from old encyclopedias, a medium nearing extinction, with their pages of data carved into intricate. Brian dettmers book sculptures book sculpture, book art.
Old books dissected to create intricate 3d carvings. Just look at the squirrel imprinted on this cover of north american wildlife that she carefully incorporated into the book carving. Altered, sculpted, carved, transformed heyenga, laura, dettmer, brian, kuhn, alyson on. Buy online, view images and see past prices for brian dettmer, contemporary carved book sculpture. Altered, sculpted, carved, transformed kindle edition by kuhn, alyson, dettmer, brian, heyenga, laura, dettmer, brian. Invaluable is the worlds largest marketplace for art, antiques, and collectibles. Curated by michelle tillou at the springbreak art show ny. Intricate book art carvings by brian dettmer artwork by brian dettmer 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. Its an interesting video about an artist who uses books as a objects that visually presents complexityinteractivity of the book where reading and understanding is not under control of its creator.
Old books, cassette tapes, records and maps are the artists medium. Complete and authoritative book of games by brian dettmer. What to do with those outofdate annuals, encyclopedias, and other weighty tomes. Altered, sculpted, carved, transformed by alyson kuhn and brian dettmer a guide to the art form of excavating books to make artworks. Brian dettmer turns books into sculptural pieces sfgate. Intricate book art carvings by brian dettmer sculpture. Dettmer uses knives, tweezers, surgical instruments and. Book sculptor brian dettmer brian dettmer sculpts the pages of old books, excavating and revealing new meaning from this old form of media. Ive always thought that it would be wonderful to give old books a second life. A preface by pioneering artist brian dettmer and an introduction by design critic alyson kuhn round out the collection. With xacto knives and an eye for a good remix, artist brian dettmer makes beautiful, unexpected sculptures that breathe new.
The spirit of magical realism is alive as characters are literally lifted out of books through delicate carving. Brian dettmer artists around the world have lately been turning to their bookshelves for more than just a good read, opting to cut, paint, carve, stitch or otherwise transform the printed page into whole new. See more ideas about art, brian dettmer and book sculpture. Artist brian dettmer makes sculptures by carving books.
See more ideas about brian dettmer, book sculpture and book art. Aug 26, 2011 part of the charm of strands creations lies in the meticulous attention she pays to detail. For over ten years, he has carved and reshaped old, used books, revealing new connections by slicing away segments of pages. Brian dettmer born 1974 is an american contemporary artist.
Dettmer has carved up and layered the volumes of a. New yorkbased artist brian dettmer creates impressively intricate multilayered sculptures from books. I once wrote a blog about sculptural book art from brian dettmer. Altered books by brian dettmer book sculpture, book art. Brian dettmer is an artist that focuses on books, mainly out of date encyclopedias, medical logs, illustration books or dictionaries. Old books, cassette tapes, records and maps are the artist s medium. Oct 25, 2016 artwork by brian dettmer 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. Brian dettmer, a new yorkbased artist known as the book surgeon, uses tweezers. Brian dettmer carves intricate sculptures out of old reference books. Internet book fetishists versus antifetishists book. Incredible book carving art from brian dettmer book.
Post the most beautiful examples of book sculptures. Sep 12, 2009 americana 2009 altered encyclopedia volumes by brian dettmer 40. Newer media swiftly flips forms, unrestricted by the weight of material and the responsibility of history. These intricately carved books are the work of artist brian dettmer. Atlanta artist brian dettmer creates memorable works of art by slicing, whittling and tearing into 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. Book art carving sculpture by brian dettmer paper book, paper art, altered. Artist makes highpriced sculptures from old books youtube. When you come to think about the core idea its clever one. Brian dettmer enjoyment of music 2008 altered book x x image courtesy of the. New yorkbased artist brian dettmer carves intricate sculptures from outdated materials like encyclopedias, textbooks, maps and cassette tapes. Brian dettmer book sculptures the brooklyn refinery diy. Carving old books into works of art studio 360 wnyc. Brian dettmer, modern painters 1873 book sculpture, book art.
Dettmers book sculptures make forgotten material relevant in a new way. Old books carved into intricate narrative sculptures by brian. He uses a takeaway process, using a skilled and patient editing artfulness, digging through layers of a books pages. Strand has even been compared to master book carver brian dettmer who, among others, has definitely inspired her work. Nothing inside the outof date books is relocated or implanted, only removed. Book carving is one of the fastest growing art forms of the moment, and artists like alexander korzer robinson, brian dettmer and guy laramee are leading the movement.
Art made from books brims with charming, pure art, created by hands and tools. Mar 05, 2012 carved books by brian dettmer was written march 5th, 2012 by handeunver, and filed under dunyadan ornekler examples from world, kag. Brian dettmer is known for his detailed and innovative sculptures with books and other forms of antiquated media. After trawling second hand bookshops looking for novels, shell spend months carefully slicing the paper to create. May 15, 2011 atlanta artist brian dettmer creates memorable works of art by slicing, whittling and tearing into books. Artist uses surgical tools to carve books into stunning works of. Intricate book art carvings by brian dettmer twistedsifter. Book autopsies brian dettmer carves into books revealing the artwork inside, creating complex layered threedimensional sculptures. But no one whose work i have seen tops that of atlanta artist brian dettmer at. With xacto knives and an eye for a good remix, artist brian dettmer makes beautiful, unexpected sculptures that breathe new life into old books. American artist brian dettmer s passion for books is not of the standard kind.
By supporting friendsretro, youre supporting a small business, and, in turn, etsy. For a better experience, we recommend that you enable javascript. May 31, 2011 the 36yearold atlanta based artist has carved dozens of intricate sculptures from volumes dumped in charity shops or at bookstores. Masters of paper art and tagged artist, book, brian dettmer, carved books, kendi islerim my works, masters of paper art, paper, paper art, papercraft. 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. Artist uses surgical tools to carve books into stunning. It looks like theres an issue with javascript in your browser. Complete and authoritative book of games by brian dettmer i like how its cut so perfectly, it looks like a whole new item. With xacto knives and an eye for a good remix, artist brian dettmer makes beautiful, unexpected sculptures that breathe new life into old. So the best way to approach it is by a short tour of the surface, followed by the depths. Part artist and part surgeon, brian dettmer uses knives and tweezers to carve threedimensional sculptures out of old books. Artist brian dettmer approaches books with knives, tweezers, and bladesharp ideas about the meanings of media and information. Dec 27, 2016 originally from chicago and now living and working in atlanta, brian dettmer, aka the book surgeon, is known for his detailed and innovative sculptures with books and other forms of antiquated media and this wonderful series is his latest in dadainspired carved works.
Brian dettmer book sculpture, brian dettmer, book art. To create his works he seals the object with varnish, then swiftly and deftly moves through it with an xacto knife until he comes out the other side. I found a few amazing examples of book sculptures, so i invite you to share the pictures of amazing book art as well. Brian dettmer s wagnalis wheel,2010 made from altered encyclopedias. Brian dettmer is a surgical sculptor with a penchant for the esoteric, obscure and nearobsolete. Dissections and excavations in book art these artists appeal to a sense of monumentality in their work. Yearold artist keeps carving looking for blocks of words and images to highlight after a week or two whats left is an original three dimensional interpretation kinda take that text and isolated. Brian dettmer carves intricate sculptures from outdated materials like encyclopedias, textbooks, maps and cassette tapes. 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. Brian dettmer s art is both postmodern and ancient, carving through history and time to create haunting forms that reinvent and recycle media into new forms. His remarkable book sculptures are meticulously carved into vintage volumes using a variety of tools xacto knives, surgical clamps, pliers, tweezers. Found, scavenged and upcycled by tristan manco this book explores art making using unusual materials, such as paper, wood, straw, and bottles. Some artists make it happen by turning old books, dictionaries and encyclopedias into admirable sculptures.
The destruction of a book is considered by many to be an act of sacrilege. Brian dettmer narrative book sculptures inhabitat green. There are the pretty and surprisingly political sculptures from wallpaper sample books. The artist calls himself the book surgeon because he.
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. 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. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. As intangible routes thrive with quicker fluidity, material and history are being lost, slipping and eroding into the ether. You will find carved wood sculptures, but not trees, turned into books, back into carved sculptures. And for those whod like to try their hand at carving their own outdated books as we hope you will, this selftaught book carver recommends searching the internet for further inspiration strand suggests the work of noriko. Each etsy seller helps contribute to a global marketplace of creative goods. Mar 01, 2017 naperville native brian dettmer, the book surgeon, will exhibit his sculptures carved from books through april 28 at aurora university.
The university of mississippi museum brian dettmer. Strand has even been compared to master book carver brian dettmer who, among others, has definitely inspired. Sculptor brian dettmer who can turn a book into an. Etsy your place to buy and sell all things handmade. Although relatively new, book carving has become on of the most popular art forms of our time, with masterpieces of acclaimed artist like brian dettmer or long binchen exhibited in galleries. What do you do with an outdated encyclopedia in the information age. To create new art, brian dettmer trashes old books. Old books are transformed into amazing sculptures by brian dettmer. Fascinating is that he usually begins the carving on arbitrary pages in the volume allowing unexplored pages to reveal themselves as he moves through his process. 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. But for brian dettmer slicing through the cover is an extraordinary act of. Some are carved, this is a gorgeous book to explore.
Bookish book sculpture, paper art sculpture, book art projects. In his atlanta studio, dettmer transforms medical texts, art history tomes, military manuals, and more. At etsy, we pride ourselves on our global community of sellers. Today, i will present you another amazing book carving art from a british artist su blackwell who creates beautifully intricate paper models from old books. Brian dettmer exposes and celebrates the graphics contained in books through painstakingly precise, layerbylayer excavation. His moundstyle pieces are so rounded and polished that reference books appear to be carved wood. His remarkable book sculptures are meticulously carved into vintage volumes using a variety of tools xacto knives, surgical clamps, pliers, tweezers and are painstakingly cut away one page at a time. Feb 06, 2015 what do you do with an outdated encyclopedia in the information age. Wagnalls wheel, 2010, altered set of encyclopedias what brian dettmer does with books is mindblowing. Brian dettmer book sculptures the brooklyn refinery. 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. Korzer robinson carefully cuts into the pages of old encyclopedias, exposing a part of its illustrations. Old books carved into intricate narrative sculptures by. Curated by michelle tillou at the springbreak art show ny this years theme is in excess.
Brian dettmers amazing altered books altered book art. 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. Hand carved book sculpture by brian dettmer, book sculptor libraries of health, altered books, x x artist brian dettmer the book surgeon, using tweezers, knives and surgical tools brian dettmer carves one page at a time. Discover the unique items that friendsretro creates. Artist makes highpriced sculptures from old books cbs news. Nov 07, 2011 book art by brian dettmer artists statement the age of information in physical form is waning. Artist brian dettmer challenges media that has been cast aside. Presented in an unusual, tactile package with an exposed spine, this is an essential addition to the libraries of book lovers and art aficionados. 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. To create his works dettmer seals the object with varnish, then swiftly and deftly moves through it with an x. Guy laramees gorgeous landscapes carved into books in two series entitled the great wall and biblios, artist guy laramee used vintage encyclopedias to create his epic sculptures. New worlds to conquer, brian dettmer s solo show at saltworks, is as multilayered conceptually as the carved books of which it is composed are materially.
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