Christian Boltanski - Unoriginal Sins

23 Mar CATALOGUE. 1971. ARTIST’S FIFTH BOOK.

Posted at 10:34h in ARTIST’S BOOKS

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.

...

26 Feb ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH USED IN CATALOGUE/RECONSTITUTION. 1971. SIGNED BY BOLTANSKI. TAKEN BY SARKIS.

Posted at 21:19h in PHOTOGRAPHS

20 x 12cm, original b/w photograph of the artist playing a pillow fights as if a child. This was one of the original images used for printing in the Catalogue/Reconstitution 1971 artist's book. Signed in pencil on the back by Boltanski. A unique photograph in VG+ condition.
The photograph was taken by Sarkis (as we all from the book).

...

12 Jan BOLTANSKI. LE GAC. 1971. ARTIST’S FOURTH OR FIFTH SHOW.

Posted at 10:54h in EPHEMERA

Paris: Grand Salon de L'Hotel Moderne Palace, 1971
10.5 x 14.8cm, 1pp typographic announcement card for a joint show with Jean Le Gac. The two artists had met early on in Boltanski's career and the latter gives Le Gac credit for influencing his work and showing him "the ropes" of the Parisian artwork. They did many early joint shows and projects together where they contributed to collective artist's books often along with Annette Messager (who soon became Boltanski's life long lover and sometimes collaborator). This seems to have been the artist's fourth or fifth show although a definitive list of exhibitions is not available anywhere.
This is a rare document in VG+ condition.

...

14 Nov BOLTANSKI. 1970. ARTIST’S THIRD ONLY SOLO EXHIBITION – HERE AT BEN VAUTIER’S GALLERY.

Posted at 16:31h in EPHEMERA

Nice: Ben Doute de Tout, 1970
10.5 x 15cm, 1pp typographic announcement card which is also a conceptual work in itself. A series of adjectives are posed as questions about Boltanski and the exhibition. Words such as "Maniac?", "Pretentious?", "Sadistic?", "New?" in advance of the exhibition references doubt about whether the artist is pretending to be something/someone else and if his work is genuine? Ben's gallery was called in translation "Ben doubts everything" - and this rather matches that distrust of art and the world. Very scarce early card. VG+.

...

10 Nov CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI ET SES FRERES, 5/9/59. 1970. WITH ORIGINAL HAND ADDRESSED MAILING ENVELOPE.

Posted at 19:56h in MAIL ART

Paris: s.p. (Boltanski), 1970
18 x 16cm, original vintage b/w photograph which has a text below it telling a tale of Boltanski and his brothers. The photograph does indeed seem to be of the title - Boltanksi is on the right of the trio - later such images cannot be assumed always to be true. Original first edition.
JOINT:
17.2 x 26cm hand addressed manilla envelope sent to M. Berg in Denmark.Franked 10/11/1970.

It is referenced in Flay Christian Boltanski Catalogue 1992, Page 40

....

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

Posted at 20:58h in ARTIST’S BOOKS

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.

...

24 Sep BOLTANSKI. SARKIS. 1970.

Posted at 18:31h in POSTERS

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....

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

Posted at 20:33h in ARTIST’S BOOKS

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.

...

30 Aug HANDWRITTEN COMMERCIAL POSTCARD SENT TO M. BERG. 1970. SIGNED BY BOTH BOLTANSKI & ANNETTE MESSAGER.

Posted at 19:49h in EPHEMERA

Berlin: n.p., 1970.
10.3 x 15cm, 2pp commercial postcard with an image of the Berlin Kongresshalle and on the reverse greetings and best wishes from both Boltanski and his partner Annette Messager. VG+.

...

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

Posted at 19:21h in ARTIST’S BOOKS

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.

...

26 Jul PARIS – PARC DES BUTTES-CHAUMONT. 1970. WITH HANDWRITTEN NOTE BY TURID.

Posted at 08:49h in EARLY GALLERY ACTIVITY - 1968

Paris: s.p. (Paul-Armand Gette) 1970 10.5 x 13.5cm, 1pp b/w photographic image (taken by Gette) of a bag or some paper blowing past trees and part of the stonework in the Parc Buttes-Chaumont. This was from the second Promenade which took place around May 1970 when Gette joined Christian Boltanski and Jean Le Gac for a dérive (which had previously been used as means to creativity by both the surrealists and the situationists). During the walk, Boltanski placed some balls of dried earth in an alleyway, PA Gette hung some crystals and Le Gac documented part of the journey by taking photographs. On the back of the card there is a message hand-written by Turid (wife of Paul-Armand Gette)in black ink to Paule Léon Bisson-Millet. VG+. Very rare. ...

13 Jul CARBON COPY SIGNED LETTER FROM M. BERG TO BOLTANSKI. 13 July 1970.

Posted at 09:26h in LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS

N.p. (Copenhague): Berg, 13 juillet 1970
21 x 15cm, 1pp original vintage carbon copy of a signed letter from M. Berg to Boltanski thanking the latter for the photographs sent to Berg by Boltansk that Berg found after his return from Venice. Berg notes he includes documents about some Danish young artists.

...