Monday, 28 April 2008 | Levent OZLER
Untitled: the Book as Object
CITIZEN:Citizen Launches Mass Produced One Off Books Sold Sight Unseen
Joe Gebbia's series "Untitled" is an insight and intervention into the publishing industry. Taking the blank galley proof and presenting it as a single unique object. This piece offers a way of looking, at objects, at recycling at the value of error and how artistic intervention brings insight and new value to the world we live in. Gebbia says "the books are uniquely one-of-a-kind, blank canvases to fill with their own values, creativity, and commentary on what constitutes art and design".
Each book is unique 1/1, devoid of all text and print, it is a pre-production draft from the publishing industry. By generating only a single book, it subverts mass production practice and becomes a craft object. These simple and beautiful series of books, with their title and authorship lost, act like an unopened present, leaving the door to your imagination ajar. By celebrating the vessel-the book as object-Untitled explores new ways of seeing our world and the objects in it, reminding us of the power and beauty of the object and its ability to represent ideas.
The product launch will take place at Chronicle Books headquarters based in San Francisco and will coincide with the launch a series of events and exhibitions highlighting progressive design with a focus on local innovators and designers working on a global scale. "We are fortunate to work in an area with an exceptionally high number of design studios and creative labs that are both sophisticated and commercially successful," says Art and Design Editor Alan Rapp. "LOCAL:GLOBAL events and exhibitions will highlight Bay Area creative individuals and companies that are influencing the design market internationally."
"We are proud to unveil our latest project with the launch of Chronicle's LOCAL:GLOBAL series," says Philip Wood founder of CITIZEN:Citizen. "It makes sense that we premiere this work in partnership with Chronicle because Chronicle is unique among publishers in its constant efforts to produce books that are valued objects."
Untitled, launches exclusively through CITIZEN:Citizen and select retailers worldwide, price USD $95.
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