On Thursday, we took a ride down to the Emory’s “Rose Library” to look at a few samples of their over 1,300 art book collection (for context The Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, & Rare Book Library “collects and connects stories of human experience, promotes access and learning, and offers opportunities for dialogue for all wise hearts who seek knowledge”). There was a selection of 11 books for us to browse and dissect, and of course I liked some more than others. Here’s a brief look at my top [insert #].
- Where the Stucco Meets Chaparral by Rebecca Chamlee was arguably my favorite (though I was really tied between a couple others). This artbook was handmade with Somerset wove cotton mouldepaper and it folds shut in order for the reader to tie it shut. The pages are lined with prints of various fauna and the prose reads like poetry. Within the pages, Chamlee tries to document the boundaries between people and nature. I enjoy turning the soft pages and looking at the descriptions for plants ( it feels like a science type diary of a plant enthusiast, in which they have left real plant samples)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
- Anything Helps by Laura Russell was the other “book” tied for my favorite. I loved the unconventional means by which this text calls itself a book–It’s a wallet where instead of cards and money, it’s filled with “pages”. On said pages, are a compilation of various signs, created by various homeless citizens who are panhandling in order to survive. I like this book for its empathetic qualities as opposed to liking Chamlee’s for its aesthetic quality. Anything Helps elicits a universal feeling of empathy, sympathy and powerlessness that most people encounter when interacting with the homeless population.
- Lastly, I liked The Slapdown by Damara Kamireeck for its comedic nature and graphic style. It was a pleasure to read ☺️
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
