1997 - Unoriginal Sins

15 Dec APOLLINAIRE: A VARIATION. 1997.

Posted at 17:46h in Artist's Postcards

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1997
23.7 x 23.2cm, 4pp. Folding card (one of the largest published by Finlay) with a drawing by Gary Hinks of falling leaves. The pattern of the leaves is an exact placement of the letters in the original Apollinaire Calligramme Il Pleut from 1918 where the words are allowed to fall like rain. This "variation" on the work is transposed to represent Fall when the trees shed their foliage. Released by Finlay as a Christmas card. VG+

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15 Dec HIGHLIGHTS. A HOMAGE TO ANDRE DERAIN. 1997. ONE OF ONLY 250 COPIES

Posted at 14:26h in Artist's Books

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1997
15.2 x 21.4cm, 48pp plus green card covers with tipped on title label. Artist's book with twelve b/w photographs by Robin Gillanders of trees in Little Sparta where Janet Boulton had painted "highlights" directly onto the branches and trunks and Gillanders photographed them on very dull days when there were no actual reflected highlights other than the paint. Each set of three images of each tree gets closer until the last close-up.
In this sense the work is similar to the Fauvist treatment of nature with colour and bright paint highlighting parts of nature - hence why this is a homage to Derrain who with Matisse founded the movement. One of only 250 copies. VG+.

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23 Nov MORSE 1837 – 1997.

Posted at 09:22h in David Bellingham

Glasgow: WAX336, 1997
15 x 10.5cm, 2pp. Artist's card with a morse code message on the front and on the back the explanation that it reads: "Less dots, fewer dashes". Issued on the occasion of the H.M. Coastguard ceasing monitoring Morse transmissions on 31st December 1997. VG+.

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14 Nov NO. 46 EDITION. CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI. 1997. NOT IN ANY CATALOGUE RAISONNE.

Posted at 23:06h in ARTIST’S BOOKS

München: Süddeutsche Zeitung, 1997
One part printed folder (black on blue) content of a 30 x 21cm, 92pp colour magazine. Artist’s book which was created annually by the newspaper for its Sunday supplement here dedicated to Christian Boltanski. Long essay text in German and many colour reproductions of works. The cover of the magazine has a tipped on card label printed with the text "Verloren in Munchen". VG+ in like folder and there is an ex libris "From the Library of Anthony d'Offey" on the inside of the folder. Not in any catalogue raisonne.

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14 Nov VERLOREN IN MUNCHEN. (TRADITIONAL BAVARIAN HAT). 1997. UNIQUE FOUND ITEM.

Posted at 12:42h in UNIQUE WORKS

Munich: Boltanski/Haus der Kunst, 1997
Medium size green felt hat in the Bavarian traditional style (also known as Tyrolean) with two metal and enamel badges pinned on and bird feathers in a metal clasp in the braided cord headband.
This item was "found" in the Munich Underground Lost & Found offices and appropriated by Boltanski as a readymade artwork - a strategy which Boltanski had used before in various cities including Glasgow in 1993. Two cardboard labels (commonly used in Lost & Found Offices) are stamped with the title VERLOREN IN MUNCHEN (Lost in Munich) and one is signed by Boltanski in ink as the certificate for the work. The hat had been used in the exhibition prior being offered to sale where other "lost" items were exhibited.
In VG+ condition given that the item was previously lost on the underground. Unique within an unknown number of items sold as works after the exhibition.

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14 Nov A CHARACTERISTIC COAL-BURNING STEAM DRIFTER, CIRCA 1930. 1997.

Posted at 10:15h in Artist's Postcards

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1997
5.2 x 18.6cm, 4pp, card printed which houses a 5.2 x 18.6cm, 1pp card with tipped on embroidered name tag (in red and white).
The tag reads: "TOM, DICK OR HARRY".

The card notes the boat names of drifters which being boys names are indeed "characteristic" as well as typical of the time. The phrase "Tom, Dick or Harry" is from an idiom - any Tom, Dick, or Harry", meaning anyone thus making the naming convention universal. This card is almost an object multiple but we have decided to retain it in this catalogue as an artist's card. VG+.

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13 Nov UN’IDEA DELL’ARTE/ ARTE E VITA. 1997.

Posted at 21:17h in EPHEMERA

Milano: Galleria Paolo Vitolo, 1997 10.5 x 15cm, 2pp announcement card with a typographic design - a group show with contributions by Arnulf Rainer, Boltanski, Gina Pane, Ketty La Rocca, Urs Luthi, Cindy Sherman, Jan Vercruysse, Cesare Viel, Orla Barry and Rebecca Bournigault. A mailed example with address label, stamps and frankings. ...

09 Nov THE FISHING. 1997.

Posted at 19:39h in Artist's Postcards

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, n.d. (1997) 6.6 x 6.8cm, 4pp. Artist's postcard a drawing by Gary Hincks of smoke stacks from boats each with a number.

A poem internally reads:

Waves endless
Numbers numberless

Waves numberless
Numbers endless

VG+. ...

30 Oct THONIER. GICLE PRINT OF ORIGINAL PAINTING FOR FINLAY CARD. 1997.

Posted at 20:23h in Miscellany

N.p.: s.p. (Boulton), n.d.
28 x 21cm, full colour giclee print mounted on board of the original watercolour that Finlay commissioned from Boulton for his artist's card and print Thonier. Possibly used in an exhibition. VG+.

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25 Oct ANTHOLOGY. 1997.

Posted at 13:56h in Invitation Cards

Edinburgh: Morning Star Press, 2002
10.5 x 15cm, 2pp announcement card for the Anthology assemblage publication which Finlay contributed to along with others such as Lawrence Weiner, Richard Tuttle, Thomas A. Clark, Pavel Buchler, David Bellingham, Jackson Mac Low and others. On the front an original photograph with one of the name tags included in the book stitched onto a shirt. VG+. Scarce.

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14 Oct ZULU. 1997.

Posted at 10:09h in Artist's Postcards

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1997 11.5 x 12.8cm, 4pp card with a drawing of a Zulu boat by Gary Hincks. The sails of the ship are black (reflecting the name of the type of boat). Internally Finlay has two texts:

ZULU
Feathers
of cloud
at the masthead

and

Feathers
of foam
at the waist.

The top and bottom of the moving ship show similar features. VG+.

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28 Sep THE PERFECT EPITAPH. 1997.

Posted at 16:10h in James Lee Byars

N.p.: N.p., 1997 29.5 x 17.5cm, 4pp. What appears to be a magazine or book insert published soon after Byars' death as homage. The middle pages are printed in gold with no text. The holes for staples that presumably held this sheet in place in the middle of another publication can be seen else VG+. We would appreciate any information as to the original source of this publication. ...