Slicing and Dicing Books for Art

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What Georgia-based artist Brian Dettmer does to books would make any bibliophile or librarian cringe: he cuts and sculpts books into spectacular pieces of art. Using precise surgical tools and a dearth of outdated books, Dettmer makes ordinary volumes explode with images and words. His work takes the ideas and pictures has always been in books, both literally and figuratively, and puts them outside in beautiful stratigraphy.

In the artist’s own words, via My Modern Met:

“The richness and depth of the book is universally respected yet often undiscovered as the monopoly of the form and relevance of the information fades over time. The book’s intended function has decreased and the form remains linear in a non-linear world. By altering physical forms of information and shifting preconceived functions, new and unexpected roles emerge.”

But if that’s too heady for your tastes, simply enjoy the completely awesome works this artist has to offer.

More at My Modern Met.


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