Dublin/Glasgow: CCA and Tramway, Glasgow, 1994 25.5 x 37cm. embossed folio-folder with ribbon-tie, content of four texts (50 pp. combined), each housed in individual vari-colored folder, a single glossy offset sheet of 64 photo-based b/w images (housed in vari-colored folder), two sets of 24 b/w photo-based card images (2 x 6 cm., respectively) and 5 b/w photo-postcards documenting the title installation as wel as an image of the Mackintosh Library at Glasgow School of Arts+ contents sheet. Additionally there are five sets of bound "clocking-in" cards for supposed workers who were later, it is hinted at, were made redundant.
First issue of this intriguing assemblage multiple by Boltanski, after a project which was exhibited in Dublin and Glasgow. A poignant and provocative work. All elements intact (many online examples are missing the postcards) and in fine estate in like folio-folder.
One included item was an appropriated photographic postcard (originally by Bedford Lemere in 1910) of the Mackintosh Library at Glasgow School of Art alongside the other documents which related to lost things. Obviously Boltanski was not to know it would be "lost" itself in time when it burned down in 2014 almost 20 years later.
Scarce thus - many of the folders were lost in a warehouse water accident from the original printing of 500 sets (and many of the remainders bought as a job lot by Paul Robertson when the Glasgow CCA decided to sell off their bookshops stock.
The work is full of ironies.

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Duisberg: Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum Duisburg, 1994
21 x 14.8cm, 48pp plus typographic card covers. Exhibition catalogue prefaced by an essay by Bettina Ruhrberg - "Auf der suche nach der verlorenen kindheit" followed by a second by Cornelia Bruninghaus-Knubel "kunst als Interaktion".
What follows are several pages showing 60 small b/w photographs of objects donated to the exhibition by the children of Duisberg and Moers and followed by a long list (with birth dates) of 506 children who donated objects to the archive. The final image is of the items on racks in the museum as they were displayed. VG+.

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Zurich: Museum der Stadentwasserung Zurich, 1994
24 x 17cm, outer printed folder content of 282pp (all unbound sheets - most 2pp but plates are 1pp). A group exhibition which was themed around the fact that the Cloaca Maxima was one of the world's earliest sewage systems. Each artist contributed a work to the exhibition and Boltanski displayed the Objets Trouves dans Les Egouts de Zurich (Objects Found in The Sewers of Zurich) and 31 objects are reproduced in b/w on the sheets here.
Other artists included in the show were Fischli/Weiss, Paul-Armand Gette, Gilbert & George. Hans Haacke, Carsten Holler, Ilya Kabakov, Allan Kaprow, Otto Muhl, Gerhard Richter, Andreas Slominiski, Nancy Spero amongst others. Texts in German, French and English. VG+ sheets in slightly worn folder....

Aachen: Thouet Verlag and Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König. 1994.
26.7 x 20.8cm, 980pp (approx.). Artist's book which reproduces 975 black and white appropriated photographs of mostly faces (although there are group images also) randomly assembled from the vast collection of such images the artist had collected since the 1970s. As such the near 1,000 pictures are meant to represent mankind - with no information about the subjects whatsoever. In many ways Boltanski's objective recording of such anonymous people reflects a view of history and life that has no judgement - in fact, no morality - as one does not know if the person one is looking at is villain or hero, victim or predator, alive or dead (although probably dead given the statistics of life).
This is regarded as one of Boltanski's most important artist's books although it is really a summary of all that he had done before in this realm of appropriation photography.

The book has the following tale as a sort of foreword in German:
"Der große Rabbi von Lodz lag im Sterben,
umgeben von seinen Anhängern.
Der Jüngste , Benjamin , wollte dem Sterbenden
noch eine letzte Frage stellen . Er fragte ihn : „ Was ist das Leben ?
“ Der große Rabbi antwortete : „ Das Leben!
Das Leben ist eine Quelle.“
Dieser Satz wurde von den Anwesenden
mit großer Zufriedenheit
und Respekt aufgenommen,
mit Ausnahme von Benjamin,
der erwiderte : „ Was ? Das Leben ist eine Quelle?
“ Da hörte man den großen Rabbi sagen: „ Was ?
Das Leben ist keine Quelle?
“ Das waren seine letzten Worte."

Which we translate as:
The great Rabbi of Lodz was dying
surrounded by his followers.
The youngest, Benjamin, wanted the dying man
ask one last question. He asked him, “What is life? "
The great rabbi replied:" Life!
Life is a source.“
That sentence was spoken by those in attendance
received with great satisfaction and respect,
with the exception of Benjamin, who replied, “What? Is life a source?"
Then one heard the great rabbi say:" What?
Life is not a source? “Those were his last words.

Boltanski's ambiguity to the fate or having more knowledge of the subjects of these images is reflected in that tale.
There are some issues with condition of this copy - the front cover has been bent vertically and some pages are a little badly folded internally due to poor printing but overall it is just under VG. Now scarce.

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Obala: Art Centar Sarajevo, 1994
10.2 x 15.5cm, 2pp announcement card with a shadow sculpture installation view in b/w on the front and verso museum details. VG+.

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Zurich: Museum der Stadtentwasserung, 1994 15 x 10.5cm, 2pp announcement card for a group show which included Boltanksi, Fischli & Weiss, Gette, Gilbert & George, Holler, Haacke, Kaprow, Kelly, Muhl, Richter, Spero, Slominski, and others. VG+. ...

Barcelona:Fundacio Espai Poblemou, 1994
56 x76.5cm, full colour lithographic offset exhibition poster with an image of a Boltanski Dispersion installation where piles of second hand clothes are left in the building and visitors are welcome to take them away. VG+.

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Barcelona: Fundació Espai Poblenou, 1994
21 x 15cm, 90pp plus typographic wrappers. An artist's book containing a list of calls made to the Barcelona police from 7 to 13 April 1994 organised by time and date and including the reason for the call (including deaths to someone reporting that snow is falling in a district). A number of the "daily reports" are translated into English at the back of the book. VG+.

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London: London Weekend TV, 1994
15 x 10.5cm, 2pp. Promotional card for the TV show presented by Melvyn Bragg looking at the work of Boltanski - on the front is a reproduction of Le Blaguer - a coloured photowork with an image of the performing artist in his suit. VG. Scarce.

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