Details

Title

Gothic T

Artist/Maker

Brian Dettmer (American, born 1974)

Date

2008

Medium

Altered book

Dimensions

9 3/4 x 8 x 1 1/4 inches

Credit

Purchase with the Lambert Fund

Accession #

2011.50

Location

Currently not on view

Created as a commission for the New York Times Style Magazine’s spring 2008 travel issue, Gothic T represents the Times’ iconographic initial in relief, nestled comfortably within the covers of a vintage atlas. Dettmer works with discarded books, maps, or other printed materials, scalpels, tweezers, and knives to reveal intricate ideas and images that emerge from the pages of his chosen source material. By meticulously carving into each page, the artist uncovers alternate readings without ever relocating or implanting image or text. The end result is a sculptural object with multiple histories; Dettmer considers each work a collaboration with his materials and their original authors.

Image Copyright

© Brian Dettmer