The Thing The Book: A Monument To The Book As Object Hardcover

John Herschendand

What exactly is a book? This wildly inventive and thought-provoking volume asks that question of more than 30 of today's top creative visionaries, from Ed Ruscha to Miranda July, John Baldessari to Jonathan Lethem. Each traditional element of a book-from endpapers to footnotes-is assigned to a different artist or writer invited to use the space as a creative playground. The result is a collaborative group art project like no other. A ribbon bookmark by David Shrigley, page numbers by Tauba Auerbach, endnotes by Rick Moody-each contribution surprising and brilliant. This one-of-a-kind book will entrance anyone who appreciates art, literature, and the surprising possibilities that emerge when the two collide.

1452117209

9781452117201

English

Chronicle Books

9/Jan/15

156

THE THING Quarterly is an object-based publication based in San Francisco. Each quarter, THE THING editors Jonn Herschend and Will Rogan invite a different creative contributor - artist, designer, filmmaker, actor, musician, or writer - to create an object that somehow incorporates text. The objects are then reproduced, wrapped and shipped to every current subscriber. THE THING has collaborated with an inspiring range of contributors from Dave Eggers to James Franco - and published (on) a curious assortment of objects from mugs and mirrors to shower curtains and maple syrup. THE THING has been featured in prestigious publications across the globe, including Artforum, the NY Times, Readymade and Frieze Magazine, among many others.

Will Rogan

For art geeks who are also book geeks, this is the greatest coffee table book ever, a reminder that books are tangible objects with design components that are frequently beautiful. A number of artists and authors collaborated on this amazing book. - Huffington Post