Uncommon Deities (handmade limited edition print)
Poem by David Sylvian Art by Atsushi Fukui
Published by Heavenly Monkey 2010
The text used for this broadside was originally written to accompany a catalogue for an exhibition of Fukui’s work which never materialised.
David Sylvian later sent the poem, entitled ‘Uncommon Deities,’ to the publisher Heavenly Monkey and requested Fukui create original artwork specifically for this edition.
The result is this beautiful handprinted broadside, limited to an edition of 30, signed and numbered by both artists, and 4 A.P. copies.
The price for the broadside was $500.00.
From the Heavenly Monkey website:
The text used for this broadside was originally written to accompany a catalogue for an exhibition of Atsuhi’s work, which did not end up happening. When HM’s interest in working with Sylvian was expressed (through the kindness of Harold Budd), he sent Uncommon Deities, and asked Atsushi to create some original drawings for inclusion. The result is this broadside, printed in an edition of 30 numbered and 4 A.P. copies.
The text was set in Dante and printed in three colors on dampened Arches Cover. The sheet measures 22 x 15 inches. The sheets are signed by Sylvian and Atsushi (under their printed names), and numbered by the artist. The first 10 copies in the edition were trimmed into thirds (each measuring 6 x 12.5 inches), and laid into a triptych portfolio case (which, when opened, measures approximately 18 x 12.5 inches; mock-up shown at right) made by Claudia Cohen, with two inset labels.
Two tangential, hors de commerce items were also printed. One is a poster bearing the titles, contributors’ names, with the main illustration and eight of the nine mushroom drawings created by Atsushi for the project. About 15 of these were printed, on Reg Lissel’s handmade HM Text paper, and shared among the printer and contributors.
We also produced a small book, titled Basidia, reprinting all nine of the mushroom drawings by Atsushi, with a title page and colophon set in Dante. The paper is reg’s HM Text. The edition was just 10 copies, all given to the artist in thanks for his participation in the project.The copies were uniformly cased at HM in Reg’s handmade paper (various colors) over boards, with the artist’s initials printed on the front and a spine label.
Although all printing was completed in 2010 (per the colophon), copies were not ready for distribution until early 2011. Copies are available (as of this posting) through Sylvian’s label samadhisound.com; Atsushi’s gallery in Tokyo, Tomio Koyama Gallery; or from HM. Inquire if interested.
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