The Vespiary Book Binding & Book Conservation

I hope sometime in the future I get a chance to visit the Donna Seager Gallery in the Bay Area. I subscribe to the gallery openings email list for no other reason than to see photos of beautiful artist’s books. There is a show up now that looks fantastic - Ex Libro.

The artist, Lisa Kokin, does much of her work with altered books such as the ones in this most recent installation.  The constructions in this photo are former self-help books that have been pulped and reconstructed into organic shapes, hence “ex libro.”  In fact, all the work shown in this exhibit has been destroyed and reconstituted to bring additional meaning to whatever it was before.  I love this alchemical idea of destruction in order to bring about an enhanced or more subtle essence of an item, especially a book.

Lisa has her own website where you can peruse some of her other altered books, installations and sculptures.  Take some time in her online portfolio - especially the sewn found photos.