NYC: The Rand Corporation, 1975 27 x 20.7cm, 200pp. black boards. An appropriated book which Byars has claimed as his own by signing the first black end paper with his name and the date in his starry letting. Given as a gift the book is a listing of supposed random numbers which clearly appealed to Byars interest in the immaterial and the universal. Fine condition. Unique....
Paris, June 7, 1975 10 x 15.5 cm, 1pp announcement card with the embossed text: "The Louvre secretly invites you to the perfect kiss presented by James Lees Byars by the favour of the Germains at the door of the pavilion Denon on Saturday June 7th 1975 at 11 A.M. exactly". Designed by J.L. Byars. This is the black variant. JOINT: Original black envelope the card was mailed in. AND Paris, June 7, 1975 10 x 15.5 cm, 1pp announcement card with the embossed text: "The Louvre secretly invites you to the perfect kiss presented by James Lees Byars by the favour of the Germains at the door of the pavilion Denon on Saturday June 7th 1975 at 11 A.M. exactly". Designed by J.L. Byars. This is the white variant. ...
Heidelberg: Edition Staeck, 1974 15 x 10.5cm, 2pp artist postcard - a portrait of Byars in black goggles and hat with Duchamp’s famous work “Bottle Rack” behind him (almost crowning the artist) taken by Sigmar Polke. Fine....
Hamburg: s.p. (Hacker), 1974 15.2 x 10.5cm, 28pp (self cover). Theoretical artist's book written by Hacker at a time when he was visiting professor at the Hochschule fur Bildende Kiinste, Hamburg. The book asks the question - "What Is the Sense of Painting?" and is part of the artist's slow return to the act of marking canvasses. The cover of the book shows a b/w photograph of James Lee Byars during a performance and a second b/w image inside the book appears to also be Byars performing on the side of the Rhine in the rain but this is uncredited. Small cut to the top right of the book that runs through all the pages but it is not very distracting. Else VG+. ...
Byars, James Lee Berlin: Galerie R. Springel, 1974 180 x 48cm. Two conjoined sheets of black paper printed in gold. The length of both sheets together is equivalent of Byars height (5’11”). Texts in the top half consist of 100 sentences selected from Shakespeare edited by Byars, containing the word ‘Gold’, the texts in the bottom half consist of texts by H. Szeemann, K. Ruhrberg, T. Deecke, H. Retzner, L. Burkhardt, W. Schmied, M. Haerdter, prof. Eliot. Issued as the “catalogue” for the exhibition “The Golden Tower”, under the artist program, the Berliner Künstlerprogramm des DAAD, 1974. Framed in wood and glass - fine....
Milano: Françoise Lambert, 1973 17.8cm dia. - cardboard imitation single record (two sided) for this early musical group show curated by Germano Cleat. A large number of artists are listed including Boltanski and Byars. Fine. Rare, ...
Antwerpen : Wide White Space, 1973 15 x 10.5cm, 2pp. Announcement card printed blue on white on the front with the title starry drawing. This example of the card is hand addressed to James Butler and with a note from Byars to his close friend and gallerist. Fine with an amazing association. ...
30cm dia. black card circle with the printed text in small text in the centre of one side - THE PERFECT LOVE LETTER - and on the other WRITE I LOVE YOU BACKWARDS IN THE AIR. Both sides are signed in white by Byars in his starry letting. One of a number of such works released in 1973 - each unique. VG+....
Beckett, Samuel NOT I London: Faber & Faber, 1973 19.5 x 12cm, 16pp plus original wrappers. First edition of this printing of the famous solo play where an isolated mouth tells a rambling tale of a life from the point of death backwards. Byars has appropriated this important book as he often did with publications he deemed important or, in some way, conceptual and has written in pencil "J. LOVES J." on the first blank page in his starry letting. He then sent the book to James Butler - his close friend and gallerist. The text means "James Loves James". A unique work with amazing association....
Köln : Galerie Michael Werner, 1971 15 x 10.5cm, 1pp. Announcement card printed in gold on black. Fine. ...
Köln : Galerie Michael Werner, 1971 15 x 10.5cm, 1pp. Announcement card printed in gold on black. Fine. ...
USA: s.p. (Byars), 1970 48 x 28 cm b/w offset lithographic print on wove paper with a tiny text in the middle of the sheet. A scarce and relatively early print multiple by the romantic minimalist. VG+. Rare. ...