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BURNING BOOKS
PHOTOS BY JOHN HOPPER
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Bad Blood. 10" x 12". Poem by Arther Rimbaud. English translation by 2. Bad Blood Binding. Six sewing points hold exterior paper strip to linen
David Drum. 1. Interior page. Black paper cutout images photocopied tape binding cover support, tape distressed with blue marker. Nine to
onto 8½" x 11" card stock, then individually attached to extensions twenty long black strings are attached to binding thread, some strung
with linen tape, and extensions sewn side bound to backing. with black beads, bits of lapis lazuli, and small crosses to give a creepy,
spiderweb-like Gothic feel to the hand as you pick up Rimbaud’s dark,
fantastic poem.
merican book artist Drum’s poetry and that of Hugo, Yeats, Rimbaud,
David Drum has worked as a Hol- Marvell & Frost. An edition usually means
lywood prop assistant, a Las Vegas that each book is the same. In Burning Book
croupier, a funeral director in the Editions, each book is unique. Archival papers
South, a fry cook in the Midwest, a and other materials are hand-cut or torn and
San Joaquin Valley ranch foreman, the books individually assembled. The look and
and an encyclopedia salesman and feel of each book is varied during production,
hot tamale vendor in New Orleans. making each book of the edition different and
David founded Burning Book Press rhythmically distinct.
of Los Angeles in Venice, Califor- Artists’ books from Burning Book Press are
nia, in 1984. The Press produces in several private and public collections, and
colorful, collectible artists’ books the books have been shown in exhibitions in the
in limited editions of both David United States and abroad.
Dancing Around the Golden Calf. 6" x 9". Idolatry in pagan Egypt. Graphics text, that
is, the graphic images are the text. There are no words. Canson paper cutouts made with
pinking shears pasted onto Canson paper pages, after sewn center binding.
Both MacBeth and The robots are nothing if not versatile are from the press’ series of mechanically reproduced visual chapbooks of poetry, Edition Noir Books.
Snowy Evening.
Sailing to Byzantium. 6" x 9". William Butler Yeats’ bittersweet
6" x 9". Robert Frost’s
journey to the dreamy edge of history. Cut and torn art paper on
classic meditation on
cut and torn art paper. Text has been photocopied. Blocks torn out
life. Text photocopied
by hand and edges hand tinted with various colors.
onto pages. Paper
cutout details cut and
pasted after binding.
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Song of the Children. 6" x 9". A book of images in the 2. Cut and torn art paper cutouts pasted onto art paper pages,
rising and falling spirit of a children’s chorus. some wrapped around page to next page.
1. Interior pages of sewn center bound artist’s book. 3. Cover. Four point center bound cover, folded and pasted
After binding, Canson paper was torn, cut, and pasted with card stock inside for support, bound with black hemp.
onto pages, between pages, and sometimes around pages. Canson art paper cutouts pasted on after binding.