Other artists tap books as a time-tested way of packaging information. Dan Wood wittily, insightfully collects photographs of porta-potties at the 1995 Million Man March. Melissa Pace cuts into an old math text exposing 3D layers of magical geometric diagrams.
A number of the artists arrive at books by way of comics. James McShane's delightful The Watery Part of the World is thick little book about visiting a beach house. It's drawn in a casual, minimalist style, much like cartoonist John Porcellino. Fort Thunder co-founder Brian Chippendale's Galactikrap 2 is a photocopied comic with screenprinted cover about weird outer space encounters. Former Dirt Palace resident Jo Dery's Quietly Sure — Like the Keeper of a Great Secret is filled with brief, mystical, poetic, earthy fairy tales. Paper Rad's Cartoon Workshop/Pig Tales features goofball rainbow stoner fantasies.
For many of these artists, books are a do-it-yourself way of getting their work out. Their bookmaking also often reflects a desire to create art that is more affordable (because it's produced in multiples), more accessible, more humble. You might say they're books as an anti-fine art medium.
Read Greg's blog @ gregcookland.com/journal.
Related:
The moving pictures, Stop the presses, The digerarti, More 
- The moving pictures
There are moments when, by coincidence or an aligning of the stars, something amazing accidentally comes together. Here in Providence, next week is one of those times.
- Stop the presses
Meg Turner steals the show in 5 Traverse gallery's new exhibit with her installation Santa's Worst Nightmare . Climb up a few stairs, step into a closet-sized box wallpapered with etchings of bricks, and close the old weathered door behind you.
- The digerarti
Strapped into Erik Conrad’s electronic vest, I stood waiting for the personal digital assistant, attached by a wire to the outfit, to make a GPS connection.
- Lightning Bolt | Earthly Delights
I’m not sure why people are so worried about the Hadron Collider, especially since Lightning Bolt have been tearing black holes in the fabric of Providence on a regular basis for the past 15 years.
- Gang of four
The elegantly simple shapes of Providence artist Lisa Perez’s shallow wooden wall sculptures at 5 Traverse Gallery take on charming, wobbly, bubbly forms with uneven edges, as if they were worn away by rivers.
- Life in Hell
Wiharso, who lives in North Kingstown, fills 5 Traverse with a harrowing dance of demons in black silhouettes and ruddy flesh (well, charcoal, acrylic, enamel, and spray paint).
- Less
Topics:
Museum And Gallery
, Hieronymus Bosch, Michael Bizon, Michael Bizon, More
, Hieronymus Bosch, Michael Bizon, Michael Bizon, Michael Bizon, Brian Chippendale, Brian Chippendale, Jesse Smith, Jonathan Bonner, Jonathan Bonner, Jonathan Bonner, Less
