From The Black Balloon
As I was doing my seasonal shopping at local holiday fairs this year, I stumbled on a beautiful book titled The Black Balloon about an artist I had not heard of, Anthony Bartholomew. As I turned through the pages and marveled at the work, I was saddened to learn the book was a celebration of his short life of thirty years. (He would have passed a decade ago now; the Ohio print shop he worked in still had the book in stock.) They say funerals are for the living, and this book felt very much in that vein. More than a few artists don’t live to see their work displayed in a monograph. I’ve come across other similar tomes put together by an artist’s community after they’re gone, including a catalog of the painter Albert Quigley (southern NH) and a book of Valerie Roybal’s cabinet card collages left in her studio when she passed (New Mexico). These particular volumes might be the only book or one of a small handful of such documents available about these individuals—as opposed to, say, individuals listed in the annual New York Times‘ notable deaths. It has been a hard year for us all, famous or not.
Artists are maybe uniquely situated for this type of book treatment because the images do so much of the talking, as opposed to a traditional biography. While it is certainly true that many of a maker’s creative efforts outlive them and have found loving homes in distant places, it is a special treat to be able to be introduced to so much of an artist’s output at once (these books had accompanying exhibitions as well). It is also a reminder to me, when I see a living artist’s work I like—even if their work isn’t quite right for my already crowded walls—that I can thank them in whatever way seems best for what they are trying to share with the world while I still can. A few kind words go a long way as a bit of winter gloom sets in this week.
Share: Have a favorite retrospective monograph of an artist we might not have heard of? Please share in the comments section so others can enjoy as well.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: CORWIN LEVI
Corwin is a visual artist working in design, illustration, bookmaking, curating, and writing. As an artist, he has attended over twenty artist residencies. He has also have lived in eighteen cities across twelve states. Along with Michelle Aldredge, he co-created Mirror Mirrored: An Artists’ Edition of 25 Grimms’ Tales. He is currently remixing vintage game boards and making a book from illustrations of Alice in Wonderland.
