This stunning four-book work of art was created from a Popular Science Knowledge series from 1948. Not quite an encyclopedia and not quite specific reference books, Popular Science published these from their own collection at the time to be both educational and informative. My intention with this piece was to create a visually mesmerizing effect with the pages folded together, creating this center section. While not perfectly centered, old books are a bit creaky, this piece still has a lot of imagery to display, from people on ships to bats hanging with their babies; it provides a feast for the eyes.
Shane uses aged reference books deemed useless, like medical guides, journals, and encyclopedias, to bring new life to books that would otherwise be discarded. Glue seals the pages in their original printed location decided by the publisher, leaving the page revelations to the artist's imagination. Layers are removed to reveal images randomly. With no plan, the artist simply finds an exciting image, carves around the photo, diagram, or drawing, and adds cut lines, insets, and other random elements to provide an artistic view into the past, the book, and the pages as intended by the printer. Exposing the images in their original form, location, and placement on the page gives the viewer a greater appreciation of printed material from the Gilded Age when print media was mass-produced and information became readily available before today's digital format. Each page is carved delicately with stainless steel hardened medical scalpels to create a three-dimensional effect.
Shane uses old discarded printed material to bring new life to an item usually destined for the trash bin, landfill, or growing mold in some attack or basement.
