Restricted Entry
El Sobrante, CA: Lisa Kokin, 1992. A unique artists' book. According to Kokin, 'Restricted Entry' is "a book made from a found passport about reproductive rights."
Created in 1992 during the landmark Supreme Court case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which threatened to overturn Roe v. Wade (1973), but ultimately modified the original ruling to allow states to forbid abortion after the point of fetal viability, except in instances that would risk the woman's health. The Pennsylvania Abortion Control Act of 1982, which was being challenged in this case, required a woman seeking an abortion to notify her spouse prior to the procedure, amongst other things. This portion of the law was deemed unconstitutional as it allowed men to have too much control over their wives and presented women with "undue burden." Thirty years later reproductive rights are still in question in the United States with Roe v. Wade overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022, ending the constitutional right to abortion.
The book is an altered passport from the 1960s with images of women, couples, reproductive systems, a hanger, and official looking stamps such as "property of United States of America", "Report to Local Authorities", "Liable for Prosecution", etc. It is housed inside of a girl's altered wooden jewelry box featuring a ballerina toy on a spring. The top of the box has been purposefully chipped, cracked, and worn. An image of a ballerina has been carved into the lid of the box and partially gouged away. The book is suspended within the red cloth lined box, resting on metal wires with a barb in the middle. The wires resembling hand-made devices used by women to perform self-abortions before they were legalized in the 1970s. The music box portion is no longer in working order, as was intentional by the artist. Book Size: about 6 x 3.75 inches. Unpaginated. [20 pages.] Box Size: about 7.5 x 5.5 x 3.5 inches.
Lisa is a noted book artist who also creates art with sewing and alterations, as well as with button work and assemblage. She also is known for acting as a mentor and coach to people in the arts. Since 2010 she has worked one-on-one with dozens of artists both locally and through Zoom. Her program is an outgrowth of many years of experience mentoring graduate students in colleges and universities. Her artists’ books can be found in a number of public collections. ARTB/100324. Near Fine.
Item #37513
Price: $3,500.00