food for creative making, doing, and thinking
Source: briandettmer.com
As the art world modernizes, artists strive to push the limits of convention in order to find new types of expression. Artist Brian Dettmer thinks of his work in simple terms: “I’m an artist, and I cut books.” He looks at a book as “a body” that is “alive” and has “the potential to grow, and the potential to become new things.” At the same time, he also thinks of the book as “a technology,” a “tool,” and a “machine.”
As an English major who deeply cherishes books not only for the words but as objects themselves, I had always been opposed to the destruction and manipulation of books, even for artistic purposes. After seeing Dettmer’s work and hearing the logic behind it, however, I have begun to think otherwise; for just as painting changed with the introduction of photography, Dettmer believes that, as a result of modern, digital technology, “the book will evolve” and “become something new.” This would in turn allow people to do things with books other than reading them linearly.
Please watch the video below to see Dettmer’s beautiful work and to hear about his creative process!