CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI

ARTIST’S BOOKS

L’ENTERREUR ET AUTRES POEMS. 1966. BOLTANSKI’S FIRST PUBLISHED WORK.

Paris: Editions Jean Pierre Oswald, 1966 17.4 x 10.4cm, 160pp plus card covers. First edition of this novel with added poems for which Boltanski was commissioned to create two drawings on the front and back wrappers. The drawings are of an abstracted figure (an egg shape with legs) in a city of tower blocks on the front of the book and on the back, and the same figure in the countryside near a river seen from above. This was Boltanski's first ever published work and is the first entry in Jennifer Flay's catalogue raisonnee. VG+ although the covers are slightly browned. Rare. Ref Flay Catalogue Page 5.

HISTOIRE D’UN APRES-MEDI. 10 DESSINS PAR JUAN ROMERO. 1966.

Paris: Gallery du Tournesol, November 1966
25 x 36cm, 28pp on uncut cartridge paper - an artist's book with 10 original lithographs by Juan Romero and a poetic text. Loose signatures which were released uncut (probably awaiting private binding). Published by Boltanski as part of his activities as a gallerist during his first steps in the artworld. VG+. Extremely rare.

ON NE REMARQUERA… 1969 (from RESEARCH ET PRESENTATION DE TOUT CE QUI RESTE DE MON ENFANCE. SIGNED BY BOLTANSKI.

Paris: s.p. (Boltanski), mai 1969)
36 x 27cm, 1pp. The insert placed in most copies of the artist's second artist's book (but the first entirely written and designed by him) which is extremely rare. The letter is a credo of sorts and explains much of the artist's later interests and commitment of archiving the world around him.

Translated the text reads (forgive our poor translation skills):

"It cannot be emphasised enough that death is a disgraceful thing. In the end, we never try to fight head-on, the doctors and scientists only come to terms with it, they fight on points of detail, delay it for a few months, or a few years, but all this is nothing. What is needed is to tackle the root of the problem through a great collective effort in which everyone will work for their own survival and that of others.
This is why, it is necessary for one of us to set an example, I decided to tackle the project that has been close to my heart for a long time: to keep everything, keep track at all times of our life, of all the objects that have surrounded us, of all that we have said and of what has been said around us, that is my goal. The task is immense and my means are poor. Why did I not start earlier? Almost everything to do with the period I decided to save (September 6, 1944 - July 24, 1950) has been lost, thrown away, through culpable negligence. It was only with infinite effort (pain) that I was able to find the few elements that I present here. Proving their authenticity, locating them, all this was only possible by incessant questions and careful investigation.
But how great is the effort that remains to be accomplished and how many years will pass, occupied in seeking, in studying, in classifying, before I am safe, carefully stored and labeled in a safe place, safe from theft, from fire and from atomic warfare, so it is possible to take it out and reconstitute it at any time, and that, being then assured of not dying, I can, finally, rest.

Christian Boltanski, mai 1969"

The book which Boltanski placed this text in supposedly showed evidence of his childhood - but much of the contents were fiction. The point, of course, being that no matter how hard onew might try to recreate the past is doomed to failure and is full of lies (whether meant or not).
This letter was signed in blue ink by Boltanski in December 2017 when Paul Robertson visited him in his Paris studio. It is one of the most important texts by the author. In near mint condition.

It is referenced in Flay Christian Boltanski Catalogue 1992, Page 8.

WORK IN PROGRESS. 1968. ORIGINAL BOLTANSKI CONTRIBUTION NOT IN ANY CATALOGUE RAISONNE.

Paris: American Center for Students and Artists, October 1969
18 x 28cm, 42pp (mostly printed one side only) plus rubber stamped card covers. Slide binder. The first edition of an assemblage group artist's book with original contributions by Boltanski, Paul-Armand Gette, Jean Le Gac (here Le Gag!), Gine Pane, Ben Vautier, Andre Cadere, Alain Kirili, and Eric Dietman as well as others.
Boltanski's work is a photograph and text showing a supposed 13 of 1,000 roses planted at the American centre on 9th of October 1969 by Boltanski, the other 987, it is claimed, will be planted in Dijon on 20th of November 1969. These claims are probably spurious.
The other contributions are significant and some copies were signed and numbered by Dietman but this is not one of them.
This example is in very good condition and the book is very rare. It is not mentioned to our knowledge in any Boltanski catalogue raisonne.

RECONSTITUTION D’UN ACCIDENT QUI NE M’EST PAS ENCORE ARRIVE ET OU J’AI TROUVE LA MORT. 1969. DELUXE EDITION IN METAL WITH SIGNED & NUMBERED ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH. NOT IN ANY CATALOGUE RAISONNE.

Paris: Edition Givaudon, 1969
18 x 29 x 0.4cm, deliberately tarnished and rusted metal outer box with silkscreen printed front (showing the supposed artist's "carte sanitaire" (health card) which is also the first page of the artist's book). The box contains the original artist's book - Boltanski's second - which is 17.5 x 28cm, 6pp offset (although designed to look like a photocopy with blurred, polarised photographs) and an unprinted blue protective front sheet.
The book/collection of sheets describes a fictitious accident which supposedly took place at the Boulevard Carnot and Avenue Jean Jaures (however the modern Paris seems not to have the Avenue anymore but one can find the location by following the Boulevard Carnot on Google street view and comparing Boltanski's photographs).
As with much of early Boltanski's work he is an unreliable narrator - the images and stories in his books and descriptions are not necessarily true and it is difficult to tease out reality from re-creation but then that is the point - history is not accurate, it is always mediated through human memory, frailties and biases.
This is a deluxe copy of the book - it has an original photographic portrait of the "dead" Boltanski on the 18 Novembre 1969 which is signed and numbered by the "dead" artist from an edition of 20 copies - a miracle in itself! All are fine in like rusty slipcase.
This deluxe version of the work is not mentioned in any catalogue raisonne or in the literature. When asked about it (by Paul Robertson) Boltanski remembered the work but no longer had a copy for himself in this deluxe format. A major rarity.

CHEAPNESS MEANS FORGIVENESS. 1970. COVER BY BOLTANSKI. NOT IN ANY CATALOGUE RAISONNE.

Paris: Sand Project Press, 1970
27 x 20.5cm, 36pp (printed recto only) plus card covers. A poetry magazine by Tysh which is entirely in English despite being printed in France. Notable for a cover photograph by Boltanski of one of his multiples of hand-made mud shapes on the floor of his studio illuminated by a single bulb.
Fine condition. This book is not found in any Boltanski catalogue raisonne and is very rare.

LES DOCUMENTS PHOTOGRAPHIQUES QUI SUIVENT M’ONT ETE TRANSMIS PAR LUIS CABALLERO. 1970. FIRST EDITION.

Paris: s.p. Boltanski, n.d. (1970)
21 x 13.5cm, 12pp (self cover). The second of the artist's books created by Boltanski by writing false narratives from six b/w found images. The book has an alternative title: "Tout ce que je sais d’une femme qui est morte et que je n’ai pas connue". Sadly the poor quality staples used have rusted over 50 years but otherwise this is in VG+ condition.
This is the true first edition from M. Berg's collection which was sent by Boltanski to the collector in 1970. Rare.

It is referenced in Flay Christian Boltanski Catalogue 1992, Page 30.

A PROJECT FOR CHORUS. 1970. PUBLISHED IN CHORUS NO. 5/6.

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.

RECONSTITUTION DE GESTES EFFECTUES PAR CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI ENTRE 1948 ET 1954. 1970. BOLTANSKI’S FOURTH ARTIST’S BOOK.

Paris: Sonneband Gallery, 1970 21 x 15cm, 16pp (self cover). First edition of this artist's book with eight b/w images of Boltanski pretending to be a young child playing in various guises - sliding down the stairs on a mattress, crying, having a pillow fight, getting ready to eat, sliding down the bannister of stairs, playing with a water pistol and entering the class room. Each was taken by his friend Sarkis.
In this book Boltanski for the first time tries to recapture his early childhood but knows full well that he must fail.
Staples rusty else VG+. This was Boltanski's fourth artist's book.
JOINT WITH:
Brown hand addressed envelope sent to M Berg and dated 14.12.70.
Referenced in Flay Boltanski Catalogue Page 42. It is work noting that we hold the original photograph taken by Sarkis and used for the "pillow fight" page.

CATALOGUE. 1971. ARTIST’S FIFTH BOOK.

Paris: Sonnabend Gallery, 1971
22 x 13.5cm, 8pp (self cover). The artist's fifth book which has an alternative title: "ESSAIS DE RECONSTITUTION D'OBJETS AYAN APPPARTENU A CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI ENTRE 1948 ET 1954". The book consists of 45 examples of objects from his childhood that Boltanski has tried to recreate in a variety of methods - they are mostly in text description but there are four small b/w images of some of the items. The items are mostly in clay or similar modelling materials and shown in metal drawers as if in an exhibition.
An important book which reflects Boltanski's interest in metal storage and the authority that such placements give to the objects. In VG condition but with some rust on staples.
JOINT:
Hand addressed envelope by Boltanski sent to M. Berg in Copenhagen. Franked printed stamp.
Referenced in Flay Boltanski Catalogue Page 48.

CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI MONTRANT L’EMPLACEMENT OU SE TROUVAIT SON LIT ENTRE 1948 ET 1953. 1971. IN NEW ETER NR 2.

Malmo: New Eter, 1971
29 x 23cm, printed envelope content of five internal loose sheets -- each 27 x 21.5. 1pp. The Boltanski contribution is a printed offset image of the adult artist bending over showing here his bed was situated in his room for the first nine years of this life.
Other sheets have original contributions by Paul-Armand Gette (Photograph of a tree stump and its exact location), le Gac - a written text, and Ben Vautier - an original found photograph of women practicing fencing which is stamped Ben Vautier certifies this to be a work of Flux Art (each copy had a different photograph). The final sheet is a colophon with a business card stapled to the card sheet and nothing else.
All fine although there is a slight mark from the staple on the colophon on Boltanski's contribution - all in VG+ envelope. A scarce item. Reference: Flay Boltanski Catalogue Page 54.

RECIT-SOUVENIR. 1971. ORIGINAL PAGEWORK IN OPUS INTERNATIONAL N4 24/25 1971.

Paris: Opus International, 1971
27 x 18cm, 136pp plus card covers. A single number of this art journal which has an original Boltanski pagework - Recit-Souvenir - a text with three associated photographs.
The text typed by Boltanski gives a history of the artist's grandparents and how they come to live in Paris.
The photographs claim to be of the grandmother aged 3, a samovar that she supposedly stole from her house when she ran away from Odessa to be with David Boltanski (the grandfather) and a modern photograph of the house they lived in. As ever the veracity of all of that information is impossible to be sure of. VG although the glue in the perfect binding has started to peel after nearly 50 years.
Reference: Flay Catalogue Page 56.