Bibliomuse 2 is a continuation of my KEEP: Modern Library subseries that looks to discarded library books as muses.
In this subseries I return to hand stitching as a means to hold imagery together as well as referencing the art of repair and celebrating reuse and sustainability. These library books have been discarded for various reasons including damage and obsolescence. I have plucked them from the refuse pile for subjective reasons that usually include subtle design elements and/or marks that represent a life well lived.
Imagery is extracted from the discarded library books, scale is manipulated and the images are reproduced and repeated using various surface design techniques including stencils, block prints, image transfer and graphite or pen directly on the linen. Previously KEEP: Modern Library and the first Bibliomuse subseries utilized white or off-white (walnut and/or tea stained) linen. In Bibliomuse 2 different natural dyes and inks were applied to the linen including walnut, persimmon dye, india ink and woad (often referred to as European Indigo). The cloth that I remove from the covers of the discarded books continue to be an important part of the series and in Bibliomuse 2 I enjoyed experimenting with bold combinations and juxtapositions of color.
As with KEEP: Modern Library and the first Bibliomuse series I have looked to Japanese boro textiles for inspiration both aesthetically and conceptually. The art of piecing together fabric, repeatedly repairing it, and maintaining its usefulness for generations to come is an art that is currently lost on most of the world. These discarded library books, and my manipulation of their parts and imagery, represent my need to keep just a little part of something that was once worthy alive.
