Orientation Cube
Cairo, Egypt: Islam Aly, 2014. Hardcover. Number 24 of 30 copies, signed by the artist. According to the artist: "'Orientation Cube' is inspired by The Kaaba, a cuboid building at the center of Islam's most sacred mosque, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is the most sacred point within this most sacred mosque, making it the most sacred location in Islam. Wherever they are in the world, Muslims are expected to face the Kaaba when performing prayers. In addition one of the Five Pillars of Islam, every Muslim is required to perform the hajj pilgrimage at least once in his or her lifetime, if one is able. Multiple parts of the hajj require pilgrims to make circumambulation seven times around the Kaaba. A tiny black cube is positioned at the center of the inner back board, around which are concentric circles cut in the thirty sections of the book to reflect the process of circumambulation."
Coptic bound with linen thread in laser-etched black plexiglass boards with colored and laser-engraved edges. The interior includes 30 sections with three folios laser cut in a circular pattern. Presented in a folding black cloth covered box with a removable, gilded, wooden cube. The cube attaches magnetically. Size: Book: 2.6 x 2.6 x 3 inches. Box (closed): 3.25 x 3.25 x 4 inches. Unpaginated.
Islam Aly is an Egyptian-born book artist and teacher based in Cairo, who studied book arts and art education at the University of Iowa. His books explore the possibilities of historical bindings in contemporary book art practices They have appeared in international exhibitions in the United States and abroad, and in private and public collections including the New York Public Library, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Library of Chile, Yale University, and Bibliotheca Alexandrina. In an artist's statement he writes: "When I make a historical book structure, I go through a learning process. I learn the history as well as the different physical aspects of the binding such as how a book form is constructed in a specific sequence. I learn about the use of different materials such as paper, wood, leather and dyes. I learn to make choices in selecting and replacing traditional materials that I don’t have access to. I use these different experiences to enhance my work in making artists’ books and to use historical and cultural references from these structures in the actual content. In essence, I wish to explore new ways to use the rich structures of historical books in contemporary artists’ book practice and incorporate contemporary content into strictly historical structures." ARTB/070725. Fine.
Item #38113
Price: $1,200.00