the book as sculpture

Signatures, Version II, porcelain, handmade paper, thread by Jaz Graf

In Signatures, Version II, no text is present, there are no discernible pictures. It is the pure form and gesture of the earthen material to be read, which echo signs of human touch, providing textural information, and having a memory of its own. Each signature has unique punctures along its spine, traces of its disembodiment. The viewers’ interaction with the book is challenged.

Porcelain exteriors, stitched with handmade washi paper made from Thai kozo in the traditional nagashizuki style. I studied this technique under the instruction of Timothy Barrett, a leader in the field.