New York: Russell Maret, 2021. Number 60 of 90 copies of which 87 were numbered and 3 were proofs. Signed and numbered by the book artist. This work comprises three volumes housed in a custom clamshell box. It is a powerful response by one of our most acclaimed contemporary book artists to the alarming state of the country and the fractured state of political discourse in America. Maret writes in his colophon: "This book was designed and printed between November 2020 and February 2021. During that time Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in the presidential election by a margin of 74 electoral votes and more than 7 million popular votes. Rather than concede defeat, Trump has continued to promote the baseless claim that the election was rigged by the Democratic party and its "deep-state" operatives. At a rally on January 6, 2021, Trump incited a violent insurrection of the United States Capitol building, an action that is clearly described in the Constitution as treasonous (Article III, Section 3). Despite this, the mob that carried out Trump's failed coup attempt overwhelmingly identified as people willing to die or, more likely, kill to defend the Constitution.....Three Constitutions is my response to these events and the culture that bred them. It is well known that Trump does not read, but the glaring disconnect between basic constitutional principles and the actions of Trump's followers raises the question of whether these self-described patriots have read any part of the constitution besides the second amendment. Three Constitutions is my response to these events and the culture that bred them. The large volume contains the full text of the Constitution and its amendments. It is set in a typeface that, though difficult to read, is legible once one becomes accustomed to its forms. The texts of the two smaller volumes were arrived at via the two most prevalent modes of constitutional interpretation: algorithmic skewing and selective redaction. The text of the volume titled Constitution. United States. was arrived by feeding the text of the Constitution through Google Translate,going from English to Esperanto to Russian to Chinese and back to English. The other small volume was set in metal type and subsequently redacted by physically turning key words and phrases over and printing the underside of the type. The resulting text is not the hopeful re-write I would conceive; it is intended to reflect the cynical, ineffectual state of political discourse in the United States." All of the typefaces were designed by Russell Maret. Printed on Zerkall and Twinrocker Handmade papers. The large volume is 10 x 14.25 inches and held in a clear acrylic box. The two smaller volumes measure 7 x 10 inches and have black cloth covers with white titling to front cover. All three are housed in large clamshell box covered in gray cloth. It measures 16 x 11.25 x 2.75 inches. Accompanied by the prospectus. In fine condition. Fine.

Item #35307

Price: $5,500.00