Graphite drawings throughout on triangular paper, laminated. [6] leaves, laminated covers with ms. title, signature, and date written in blue marker, metal spiral-bound. [Amsterdam?]: Self-published, 1984.

A unique hand-drawn bookwork by Ulises Carrión (1941-89), unrecorded by Ocampo and Agius in their catalogue raisonné. In the final decade of his life, Carrión created a group of geometric and minimalist books about which very little is known. This one depicts two rectangles that are initially nearly touching but, as one turns the pages, become increasingly distanced while the rectangle on the right shrinks. The book is signed by Carrión in blue marker... More

[in]: Revista Mexicana de Literatura, Nos. 11-12 (November-December 1962), pp. 17-22. 81 pp. & ads. 8vo, printed wrappers (lacking lower wrapper). Mexico City: 1962.

Ulises Carrión’s first appearance in the experimental literary journal Revista Mexicana de Literatura (1955-65). A good copy; some chipping to the upper wrapper and marginal dampstaining to the final few leaves of text.

❧ Not recorded by Schraenen in Dear reader. Don’t read (2016). More

[in]: Revista Mexicana de Literatura, Nos. 9-10 (September-October 1963), pp. 16-24. 60, [1] p. & ads. 8vo, printed wrappers (minor staining to wrappers), title on spine. Coyoacán, Mexico City: 1963.

Ulises Carrión’s second appearance in the experimental literary journal Revista Mexicana de Literatura (1955-65). A very good copy of this scarce issue, edition of 2000 copies.

❧ G. Schraenen, ed., Dear reader. Don’t read. (2016), p. 255. More

[in]: Anuario del Cuento Mexicano 1961, pp. 60-64. 248, [1] p. & index. Thick 4to, pictorial softcover (spine a little creased), title on spine. Mexico: Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, 1962.

An early Ulises Carrión (1941-89) appearance in one of Mexico’s prestigious literary journals, this one focused on short stories. With a concise biography of the author. A very good copy; some light wear to the spine.

❧ Not recorded by Schraenen in Dear reader. Don’t read (2016). More

Graphite drawings on thin triangular paper, laminated. [8] leaves, ms. title & signature on first leaf, metal spiral-bound. [From verso of final leaf]: Amsterdam: Self-published, 1988.

One of Carrión’s last bookworks, Opening Lotus, a unique triangular book, was made the year before the artist’s death from complications caused by HIV/AIDS. In the last decade of his life, Carrión (1941-89) created a small group of hand-drawn books, several of which are recorded in the catalogue raisonné compiled by Agius and Ocampo and the 2016 exhibition Dear reader. Don’t read. The present bookwork is not recorded in either. It comes from Guy... More

212 pp. 8vo, orig. printed softcovers with flaps, title on spine. Geneva: Editions Héros-Limite, 2008.

Second edition (1st ed.: 1997) of an important sourcebook. This book gathers Ulises Carrión’s most influential writings (printed in English and French) and pairs them with essays by the great scholars of artists’ books, Anne Moeglin-Delcroix (b. 1948) and Clive Phillpot (b. 1938). Found at the end are helpful lists of the artist’s books, magazines, mail art projects, media projects, video works, articles and essays, and exhibitions.

Near fine copy. The first edition (207 pp.) is now very rare. More

70 pp. Small 4to (210 x 160 mm.), pictorial semi-stiff wrappers, title on spine. Amsterdam: VOID distributors, 1980.

The essential compendium of Ulises Carrión’s polemical essays; printed in an edition of 500 by Hetty Huisman’s VOID Distributors. His trailblazing theories and beliefs about artists’ books and mail art remain influential to this day. “The New Art of Making Books,” first published in Plural no. 41 (1975), is frequently cited by contemporary book artists.

The book includes his most important essays: “The New Art of Making Books,” “From Bookworks to Mailworks,” “Rubber Stamp Theory and Praxis,” “Rubber Stamp Art,” “Mail Art... More

Two large folded newsprint sheets [=8 pp.], [5] pp. rubber-stamped, rest blank. Illustrated with stamps pressed with red, blue, purple, brown, green, black, and yellow ink. [Amsterdam: Other Books and So Archive, 1980].

Rare Ulises Carrión stamp art project that was never fully realized.

“The objective of this mail project was the production of a rubber stamp tabloid. Carrión sent an invitation the size of a newspaper page (479 x 330 mm.). The contributor had to mail back the design for his rubber stamp (to be produced at the Posthumus BV Stempel Factory) together with the page indicating the place... More

Color pencil & graphite drawings throughout on translucent parchment paper. [38] leaves, laminated covers with title printed on upper cover & signature and date to inside of lower cover, metal spiral-bound. N.p.: 1988.

A unique illustrated bookwork created one year before Carrión’s passing, it was neither recorded in Agius and Ocampo’s catalogue raisonné nor part of Guy Schraenen’s 2016 exhibition Dear reader. Don’t read. Unlike the other drawn books that the artist made in his final years, this one was not laminated, excepting the covers. His signature is found on the inside of the laminated lower cover, with the date... More

Color illus. Unpaginated. 8vo, pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. Paris: 2018.

Bookseller catalogue with an interesting selection of artists’ books, art books, and multiples. Published for MAD Multiple Art Days 2018. 61 items are described. In fine condition, with the printed price-list laid-in. More

Several illus. Unpaginated. Small 8vo, accordion format housed in a transparent plastic jacket. Halifax, U.K.: 1998.

The scarce inaugural catalogue for this artists’ books fair coordinated by Chris Taylor and John McDowall. This fair, as were the subsequent iterations, was held at the Dean Clough Galleries in Halifax on 16 May 1998. In the Introduction, Taylor writes: “The Artist’s Book Fair aims to establish a provincial focus for practitioners and publishers outside the capital’s arena; to raise a greater awareness and appreciation from a wider audience; to open up a discourse on the possible limitations that the Artist’s Book genre... More

Many illus. [42] pp. Small 4to (170 x 125 mm.), pictorial dust-jacket & gray wrappers, staple-bound. [London: 1991].

An uncommon catalogue issued by the Coracle Press, interspersed with numerous, if a little blurry, illustrations of the books on offer. It lists the work of Ian Hamilton Finlay, Susan Hiller, Simon Cutts, Colin Sackett, Bernard Lassus, Hamish Fulton, Richard Long, Richard Tuttle, Bill Culbert, Stephen Willats, Erica van Horn, Yoko Terauchi, Shelagh Wakely, etc. All entries are priced and provide bibliographic information.

Near fine copy, a few small stains to the upper wrapper.

❧ A. Desjardin, The Book on Books on... More