Artist uses surgical tools to make incredible book sculptures. Brian dettmer, a new yorkbased artist known as the book surgeon, uses tweezers, knives, scalpels and other surgical tools to dissect and. He uses old, nonfiction materials such as books, maps, encyclopedias, and textbooks to create incredible pieces of sculptures. He is noted for his alteration of preexisting mediasuch as old books, maps, record albums, and cassette tapesto create new. Dettmer uses knives, tweezers, surgical instruments and. Artist uses surgical tools to carve books into stunning. But for brian dettmeralso known as the book surgeonhe found a way to gave a new life for these antique printed materials. Oct 9, 2011 wagnalls wheel, 2010, altered set of encyclopedias what brian dettmer does with books is mindblowing.
Mar 01, 2017 naperville native brian dettmer, the book surgeon, will exhibit his sculptures carved from books through april 28 at aurora university. After carefully selecting the source and subject for his investigations, dettmer determines the architecture of construction and aesthetics of presentation for his. Altered books by brian dettmer brian dettmer, book. The result is intricate and breathtakingly beautiful works of art. Brian dettmer is known as the book surgeon because of his penchant for dissecting books using scalpels, tweezers, and other surgical tools without anesthesia. Dettmer s work has a kind of vintage touch to it because of the old books that he use, he also use manuals,textbooks,maps. The university of mississippi museum brian dettmer. Mar 31, 2011 paper art can be traced back to japan, where it originated over a thousand years ago. The book surgeon 15 pieces using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, brian dettmer carves one page at a time. They remind me a little of something i posted a few months ago, about the tree of codes.
Then, with the precision of a surgeon, using scalpels and hundreds of xacto blades, he alters the preexisting. Aurora museum to host naperville native, book surgeon sculptor. Dettmers booksculptures profound in meaning and impact. Sculptor brian dettmer who can turn a book into an. New york artist brian dettmer is known as the book surgeon for the skillful way he transforms old books into impossibly intricate sculptures dettmer attacks old textbooks, encyclopedias.
Mar 02, 2011 the last few days of february brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to my modern met thanks to the incredible work of brian dettmer, aka the book surgeon. The book surgeon oddity central collecting oddities. In fact, even bookstores could appreciate dettmer s incredible art with harvard books. I never have a picture of what its going to look like when im done.
He uses knives, tweezers, and other surgical tools to carve each page one at a time, revealing images and ideas. Mar 10, 2011 using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, brian dettmer carves one page at a time. Brian dettmer is known for his artwork that involves the alteration of information media. The book surgeon is a nickname he acquired due to the nature of his works of art. Paper book paper art cut paper brian dettmer libros popup altered book art book sculpture paper sculptures handmade books. The book surgeon 15 pieces book sculpture, book art. He also folds, bends, rolls, and stacks multiple books to create read the full article. A sharp incision from the book surgeon brian dettmer. Artist brian dettmer cuts into books with surgical tools, creating new pictures and interpretations from the preexisting pages.
Brian dettmer the book surgeon shape shifter, paper shaper are few keywords for this artist. Brian dettmer is a surgical sculptor, an archeologist for the obsolete. He is sometimes referred to as a book surgeon or an artist who performs autopsies on dead books. The artist as architect surgeon buzz spector its not useful to mislabel brian dettmers artistic method as whittling, although the paring away of pages. Then, with the perspective of an archeologist, vision of an explorer and precision of a surgeon, using scalpels and xacto blades, he selectively only removes. Dec 11, 2011 paper art can be traced back to japan, where it originated over a thousand years ago. Mar 01, 2011 the book surgeon brian dettmer uses surgical knives and other tools to turn old books into remarkable, fantastical. Aug 24, 2011 brian dettmer makes a living with the knife, tweezers and surgical tools by performing minute but precise incisions into books. Amazing paper sculptures performed by the book surgeon. Book surgeon uses surgical tools to make incredible book. Brian dettmer, a new yorkbased artist known as the book surgeon, uses tweezers, knives, scalpels, and other surgical tools to dissect and carve old books into intricate and beautiful sculptures. He carves shapes, one page at a time, in outdated books, dictionaries and encyclopedias and transforms them into. Brians subjects are mostly old books that would most likely moulder in dumps had he not turned them into works of art. Amazing paper sculptures performed by the book surgeon mole.
Brain dettmer, famed as the book surgeon uses knives, tweezers and surgical tools to shapeup the old dictionaries and encyclopedias into incredible artwork. Many writers and designers use digital media to improvise and develop their ideas. A large body of his current work is created by altering vintage books and assembling sets of books into intricate and innovative sculptures. Feb 21, 2015 otherwise known as the book surgeon, brian dettmer carves old books new again, using knives, scalpels and other surgical tools to completely transform them into sculptures. Mar 06, 2011 brian dettmer, the book surgeon brian dettmer, the book surgeon.
Aurora museum to host naperville native, book surgeon. When you come to think about the core idea its clever one. When the artist creates brian dettmer, the emergence of society, 2012. My modern met has posted some incredible pieces of book art.
Its about how much i also enjoy a good demolition project every once in a while. From complex paper cutting to book carving, this is an ever expanding area of design that is hardly talked about. Dettmer s move from the relief effect of eye surgery to threedimensional carving of single and multiple volumes for example, tristram shandy, 2014 shows such innovation. Mar 1, 2011 using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, brian dettmer carves one page at a time. The book surgeon 15 pieces book sculpture, brian dettmer. Thank you for introducing me to the book surgeon s art, congratulations on being freshly pressed, and please check out my post d is for destruction if you get a chance. Nothing inside the outofdate encyclopedias, medical journals, illustration books, or dictionaries is relocated or implanted, only removed. Artist transforms old books into mindblowing works of art.
Feb 03, 2017 naperville native brian dettmer, the book surgeon, will lecture and exhibit his sculptures carved from books at aurora university. The artist is a student of colombia college besides working on a signage store. Apr 09, 2011 incredible sculptural book art the book surgeon books are usually made for reading, yea i know crazy right. May 31, 2011 the destruction of a book is considered by many to be an act of sacrilege. Using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, brian dettmer carves one page at a time.
Tower brittanica 58, 2012 stacey steers, night hunter. But for brian dettmer slicing through the cover is an extraordinary act of creation. Dec, 2011 brian dettmer is an artist hailing from chicago was has earned the title of book surgeon. Hardcovers and paperbacks march 10december 5, 2020.
Wagnalls wheel, 2010, altered set of encyclopedias what brian dettmer does with books is mindblowing. Amazing doesnt even begin to describe dettmer s beautiful work. By highlighting the weight and depth of physical books, he draws attention to those aspects which cant be replicated with ereaders. He is noted for his alteration of preexisting mediasuch as old books, maps, record albums, and cassette tapesto create new, transformed works of visual fine art. Nothing inside the outofdate encyclopedias, medical journals, illustrat. But for brian dettmer also known as the book surgeon he found a way to gave a new life for these antique printed materials.
You will find carved wood sculptures, but not trees, turned into books, back into carved sculptures. The book surgeon link hat tip comment brian dettmer carves parts out of individual pages in books, creating layers that expose the contents all at once a delayed collaboration with authors to create an homage to a fading medium. Brian dettmer, a new yorkbased artist referred to as the book surgeon. Unlike other artists that use fiction books to create their works, he only uses predominantly. Sep 04, 2014 artist brian dettmer is nicknamed the book surgeon because of his ability to turn books and other antiquated media into detailed, innovative sculptures. Nothing inside the outofdate encyclopedias, medical journals. New yorkbased artist brian dettmer creates impressively intricate multilayered sculptures from books. Interview with the book surgeon 7 pics my modern met. Brian dettmer born 1974 is an american contemporary artist. Dettmer manipulates the pages and spines to form the shape of his sculptures. Feb 28, 2011 the surgeons name is brian dettmer, and he uses knives, tweezers, and surgical tools to create incredible works of art from old books. Thinking outside the book with brian dettmer young writers.
Brian dettmer, a new yorkbased artist known as the book surgeon, uses tweezers, knives, scalpels and other surgical tools to dissect and carve old books into intricate and beautiful sculptures. Apr 05, 2011 brian dettmer, also known as the book surgeon uses surgical tools to carve each page at a time creating a full proper carved artwork. Dettmer s work has a sort of vintage touch to it because he uses old books maps, encyclopedias, textboo. See my book surgeon and book sculptor face book pages to see a selection of my work. Apr 1, 2012 using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, brian dettmer carves one page at a time. He uses old, nonfiction materials such as books, maps, encyclopedias, and. Dettmer says of his art, my work is a collaboration with the existing material and its past creators and the completed pieces expose new relationships of the book s. Aug 15, 2011 the times when paper was considered to be the primary medium for artistic expression is long gone. Brian dettmer carefully selects and sifts through stacks of old books to uncover the perfect source and subject for his cultural archaeological explorations and sculptural possibilities.
With the precision of a surgeon, using scalpels and hundreds of xacto blades, he carefully peels though different layers of the books selectively removing sections from pages to expose contents underneath. Brian dettmer, also known as the book surgeon uses knives, tweezers and surgical tools to carve old dictionaries and encyclopedias into incredible works of art. Book surgeon uses surgical tools to make these amazing book sculptures by keymaster brian dettmer, a new yorkbased artist referred to as the book surgeon. Writers and critics have used different words in describing dettmer s work. Nothing inside the outofdate encyclopedias, medical journals, explore. However, there is something particuliar in this physical canvas something that keeps us getting back to paper when we want to brainsto. The artist calls himself the book surgeon because he uses knives, tweezers, and surgical tools to carve the art works out of old medical journals, illustration books, dictionaries, map books and encyclopedias. Brian dettmer is an ny based artist identified as the guide surgeon, uses tweezers, knives, scalpels and other surgical resources to dissect. Artist uses surgical tools to carve books into stunning works. See more of dettmer s work in this roundup by my modern metropolis, and read an.
Thinking outside the book with brian dettmer young. Brian dettmer gets to the heart of the bookmuch deeper than. Oct 27, 2010 part artist and part surgeon, dettmer uses knives, blades, tweezers, pliers, and custommixed adhesive to painstakingly carve threedimensional sculptures out of old reference books and textbooks. The book surgeon 15 pieces by eugene kim on february 26, 2011 using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, brian dettmer carves one page at a time. Using the sharp cutting implements of a surgeon dettmer cuts into the depths of these vintage tomes, revealing themes and variations like. These intricate paper designs grace museums and exauhibitions throughout the world and is becoming yet another exciting. When a book isnt used for ready sometimes we get creative and use them for a door stop, maybe a pillow to take a nap, or something for simple and boring.
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