Helix Aspersa

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Black and white photographic images of snails are ordered into chapters, quite formally, reminiscent of a collection in a Museum of Natural History, separated by colour, and offered within the more intimate space of a book. Each chapter starts with an image of a spiral and is followed by erotic images of a snail’s body. Ref.1

Magnificent mollusks by Balthasaar Burkhard. Where a nineteenth century natural history catalogue meets a pin-up calendar. Ref.2

Balthasar Burkhard (24 December 1944 Bern – 16 April 2010) was a Swiss photographer. After 1965, he was retained as documentation photographer by the Kunsthalle Bern, cooperating closely with curator Harald Szeemann and portraying many artists. This triggered Burkhard's interest in contemporary art. He worked a.o. in Switzerland, America and France.
His work has been praised for its "hermeticism and poetic depth", characterized as that of a "hyperrealist dreamer" and placed in the tradition of Tanizaki Junichiro and Gustave Courbet, whom Burkhard admired; his photographic reflections on the painter's work were made part of the great Courbet exposition of 2007 in the Grand Palais. A central theme in Burkhard's work was the depiction of the female sex, in an approach that has been interpreted as the "search for the primordial goddess, the focus of all desires". Ref.3

Imschoot Uitgevers In 1987 publishing house Imschoot (Ghent- Belgium) started an exceptional series of artists’ books made by international artists (Giovanni Anselmo, Sol LeWitt, John Baldessari, Lawrence Weiner, Hanne Darboven, Robert Barry, Christian Boltanski, Dan Graham, a.o.). Ref.4
In addition to the regular softcover edition (500 to 1000 copies), a deluxe hardcover edition was also issued in a very limited edition, numbered and signed by the artists.
The publishing house ceased its activities in 2006.

Imschoot Uitgevers En 1987, la maison d’édition Imschoot (Gand – Belgique) a lancé une série exceptionnelle de livres d’artistes réalisés par des artistes internationaux (Giovani Anselmo, Sol LeWitt, John Baldessaris, Lawrence Weiner, Hanne Darboven, Robert Barry, Christian Boltanski, Dan Graham, etc.) Réf.4
En plus de l’édition régulière à couverture souple (500-1000 exemplaires), une édition à couverture rigide de luxe a également été publiée dans une édition très limitée, numérotée et signée par les artistes.
La maison d’édition a cessé ses activités en 2006.

References

• Ref.1: Imschoot, uitgevers Catalogue 1993-1994, Artists’ books What is an artist’s book? An artist’s book is … “… a book done for its own sake and not for the information it contains. That is: it doesn’t contain a lot of works, … it IS a work.” (Dick Higgins). > IC-series The IC-series is a collection of artists’ books brought together by Kaatje Cusse. The first publication was COME ON by Robert Barry in 1987. This ongoing process thus far embraces designs by 16 internationally renowned contemporary artists. New names may be added. The artists are given complete freedom to develop their projects. The format of the book, 14,8 x 21cm, is the only constant in the design. The first six publications were presented to the public at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York on January 11th, 1989. They were also shown – together with other Imschoot artists’ books – at the Archives in Rotterdam (1991) and at Art Metropole in Toronto (1992). The books are printed in a 1000 copy softcover version, and a 25 to 50 copy hardcover version, numbered and signed by the artist.
• Ref.2: Imschoot, uitgevers [2002] Catalogue
• Ref.3: Knowpia, Balthasar Burkhard
• Ref.4: Johan Pas (Een essay door -), Het kunstenaarsboek in België: de voorzet tot een geschiedenis., Kunstenpunt