This is the result of my new project of book alteration: I transformed a found book about the history of French cinema into a three-dimensional scene where characters and actors from different decades seem to gather for an impossible conversation.
All the irrelevant images and text have been cut out from every page and this video shows in 200 frames the progression of the alteration into the depth of the book and the continuous adjustments that led to the final result.
The Great French Films, 2011
Visually inspired by Brian Dettmer’s alterations, my work also wants to refer to John Stezaker’s research: the British artist works with classic images, vintage postcards and found photos and investigates the new meanings that can be generated by simple alterations such as juxtaposing, slicing, inverting.
A thoughtful and disturbing, yet fresh and ironic artistic approach.
John Stezaker: Marriage 28
John Stezaker: Marriage IV
It’s a wonderful cover. Oddly, it reminds me, at first glance, of post-WWI Berlin — and not of the French! The style — the composite of different images — calls to mind the Dadaists/Surrealists who emerged from the carnage of WWI. Or even of a Luis Bunnuel film.
Linda: Please take this as a compllment. it’s a beautiful cover. Is this book going to be available for the general public to buy?
Best,
David (Istvan’s friend)