David Hockney Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm
I present to you the ultimate “Book I Want, Do Not Have, Cannot Afford”.
David Hockney’s Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm is a combination of modern illustrations alongside an English translation of the Grimms’ German text. This modern vision of the Grimms’ fairy tales was handset and bound in a miniature edition with a keen eye toward recreating bibliographic and physical elements—letterpress printing, high-quality rag paper, colophon—in a traditional fashion.
The printed fairy tale in all of these forms is an artifact that represents more than “Red Riding Hood” or “The Little Mermaid”; these examples represent the significance of the book form in cultural phenomena like storytelling. Although oral tales retain properties of fluidity, these printed tales are moments of fixity—unique artistic visions that encapsulate specific cultural movements and sensibilities. It’s worth visiting the library to see them; I’d love to share them with you!
via…
Damn you LACMA for bringing this to my attention. DAMN YOU!!!!!!!!
(Yes, I may have fallen to the floor and shook my fists in the air. No, you may not judge me for that.)
