Brian Dettmer. By Emily Schranz

1. Brian Dettmer

By Emily Schranz

2. Wagnalls Wheel, 2010, Altered Set of Encyclopedias, 9" x 20-1/2" x 20-1/2" - Image Courtesy of the Artist and Toomey Tourell Fine Art

He was born in
1974 in Illinois.
He received his BA in art,
design, and art history
from Chicago’s
Columbia College in
1997.
Wagnalls Wheel, 2010, Altered Set of
Encyclopedias, 9" x 20-1/2" x 20-1/2" Image Courtesy of the Artist and Toomey
Tourell Fine Art
He creates “Book Autopsies”
out of discarded books.

3. Totem, 2010, Altered Set of Vintage Encyclopedias, 26-5/8" x 22-1/2" x 10-1/4" - Image Courtesy of the Artist and MiTO Gallery

Dettmer only chooses non-fiction
vintage books.
He incorporates the books topic into
each piece. For example:
What is a totem?
The definition of totem
is: an object serving as
the emblem of a
family/clan and often
serving as a reminder of
its ancestry
How does this piece work as
a totem?
Totem, 2010, Altered Set of
Vintage Encyclopedias, 26-5/8" x
22-1/2" x 10-1/4" - Image
Courtesy of the Artist and MiTO
Gallery

4. The Story of Man, 2010, Altered Book, 9-5/8" x 7-7/8" x 1-5/8" - Image Courtesy of the Artist and Saltworks

The Story of Man, 2010, Altered Book, 9-5/8" x
7-7/8" x 1-5/8" - Image Courtesy of the Artist
and Saltworks
He begins his process by locating
imagery and text that he likes
He uses a xacto knife in a
subtractive process to create
negative space.
Compiled Upon a New Plan, 2010, Altered Books,
10-1/2" x 10" x 10-3/4" - Image Courtesy of the
Artist and Packer Schopf

5. House of Tongues, 2010, Altered Book, 7-3/4" x 14" x 10-1/4" - Image Courtesy of the Artist and MiTO Gallery

House of Tongues,
2010, Altered Book, 73/4" x 14" x 10-1/4" Image Courtesy of the
Artist and MiTO Gallery
Library of American History (detail),
2012, hardcover books, acrylic
varnish, 99" x 19" x 19" - Image
Courtesy of the Artist and Toomey
Tourell Fine Art

6. Encyclopedias of World Travel, 2010, Altered Book, 8 1/2" x 7 3/4" x 1 1/2" - Image Courtesy of the Artist and Saltworks

Encyclopedias of World Travel, 2010,
Altered Book, 8 1/2" x 7 3/4" x 1 1/2" Image Courtesy of the Artist and
Saltworks
Compiled Upon a New Plan, 2010, Altered
Books, 10-1/2" x 10" x 10-3/4" - Image
Courtesy of the Artist and Packer Schopf

7. Grolier, 2005, Altered set of Vintage Encyclopedias, 16"(h) x 9.5"(w) x 7"(d) - Image Courtesy of the Artist and MiTO Gallery

The Household Physicians,
2008, Altered Books, 10-1/2"
x 8" x 12" - Image Courtesy
of the Artist and Kinz + Tillou
Fine Art
Grolier, 2005, Altered set of Vintage
Encyclopedias, 16"(h) x 9.5"(w) x 7"(d)
- Image Courtesy of the Artist and
MiTO Gallery

8. Emergency Exit (detail), 2012, paperback books, acrylic varnish, 82-1/2" x 29-1/2" x 2" - Image Courtesy of the Artist and Saltworks

What comments do you think this artist is saying
about Books?
Emergency Exit (detail), 2012, paperback books, acrylic varnish, 82-1/2" x 29-1/2" x 2" Image Courtesy of the Artist and Saltworks

9.

Video
Brian Dettmer (2013). Bio. [ONLINE] Available at: http://briandettmer.com/. [Last
Accessed e.g. 31 August 11].
CBS News (May 15, 2011). Artist makes high-priced sculptures from old books.
[ONLINE] Available at: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7366166n. [Last
Accessed e.g. 31 August 11].
Stewart, Garrett, (2011). Bookwork: Medium to Object to Concept to Art. 1st ed.
Chicago: University Of Chicago Press.
WebUrbanist (e.g. 2011). 15 of the World's Most CreativePapercraft Artists.
[ONLINE] Available at: http://weburbanist.com/2008/12/02/papercraft-creativepaper-art-design-sculpture/. [Last Accessed e.g. 31 August 11].