Paris: Musee d’art de la ville de Paris, 1970
56 x 53cm, offset lithographic exhibition poster with images of the two artist's hand holding works. Boltanski's sculpture are homemade weapons (knives). The full exhibition title (not on poster) was "Boltanski et Sarkis : moments 1-2-3". Sarkis had recently been recognised more internationally due to the important travelling conceptual art exhibition "When Attuitudes Become Form" and he wanted to co-ordinate a Parisian show with other similar artists such as Beuys but apparently the budget was not available - as a result she showed only with his friend Boltanski.
Folded for storage but in VG+ condition. Rare....

Little Sparta: Finlay, 17 September 1970.
21 x 18cm, 2pp carbon copy typed letter on white paper which is hand signed at the end in ink. A letter to the British Fluxus artist Crozier discussing the proposed EXERCISE X book which the two artists were collaborating on. The letter discusses in detail the print and typography options for the book, Finlay arguing for subtle, nuance where possible where the letter X in the book changes. Finlay says "I must stress that I don't consider this booklet profound. Everyone knows that nuance exists. On the other hand, I get pleasure from showing how much one can change a thing while scarcely from the spot , as it were. If we make dramatic (moving) differences between the visual representations of the Xs, we will undermine the whole point. If, for instance, "Two" and "Duet" are just noticeably not the same 2 crossing lines, we can rely on the words to complete the distinction, without taking it further than that.
Likewise, "Duck-pond" needn't really try to depict the wakes left by 2 swimming ducks, but just by the merest alteration in the lines, allows the words to modify the image. Though obviously, if we had a blue rectangle on white one, there, and could have the lines white instead of black that would be pleasing."
JOINT:
A further two pages - both 21 x 18cm, 1pp carbon copy typed letter on white paper (recto only and stapled top left) with hand corrections by Finlay explaining the EXERCISE X book in greater detail. An important letter showing the degree to which Finlay's work method relied upon small considerations and great attention to detail. The book was planned to have a free style drawn X on each right hand page along with two hand drawn words of text. "The text is , in every case, a verbal modification of an X, and the rendering of then X's by the artist/calligrapher should echo this modification to some degree." The book in essence is how the smallest of changes can alter the meaning of something as much as possible.
Finlay lists the various texts which will alter the X's - The Windmill, The Stitch, The Net, The Kiss, The Cancellation, The Duck-Pond, The Ten, The Two, The Duet. All being able to be represented by an X - some more obviously than others (for instance, the Duck Pond is two crossing wakes from swimming ducks).
Finlay mentions the use of colour but accepts that is down to expense but he would ideally like a brown X at The Net and a red one at The Cancellation and a blue one at the Duck-Pond etc. "The actual details of presentation will have to be decided in terms of the cost." "Probably a very small format would be nicest."
JOINT:
A hand addressed mailed envelope to Crozier in Finlay's hand. Carefully opened.
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Nottingham: Tarasque Press, 1970
26 x 20cm, 1pp. Small broadside issued by The Trent Bookshop/Tarasque Press (formed by Stuart Mills and Martin Parnel in 1964) which had a different poet in each issue. This number consists of one line poems by Finlay although he is not credited.
Faint grease stains else VG+.

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Paris: Chorus, 1970
24 X 18cm, 80pp plus pictorial covers. A single number of the art journal which alongside Boltanski are original contributions and articles on Arman, Jean Le Gac, Henri Calet and others.
Notable here are four pages by Boltanski - a b/w photograph of the artist lying on the ground of a back garden as if he has died. The same photograph is shown four times but each time showing more and more of the body in close up.
Thematically this touches on the same interest in accidents and death that the artist had explored in some of his earliest works (which described false accounts of a fatal accident). VG+. Scarce publication.

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