Phillipa Haskins

Pietermaritzburg

THE GOLDEN YEARS (2013)

Type of book work: Unique / sculptural book-object (one-of-a-kind)
Dimensions: 100 (h) x150 (w) x220 (l)
Media: Found book, clay, watercolours

Artist's / designer's statements

Clay/paper rats nesting inside a book. Books are often seen as 'good companions' but often neglected. Rats are seldom seen as such, but are quite at home in this book.

'The Golden Years' of books seems to be over; the pages within like fallen leaves to be swept into heaps. Cut-out leaves cascading into a heap from open book.

I am a MAFA graduate from UKZN, who fell in love with the book arts in my final years of study. As someone who has always had great love and value for books, I am continually saddened by their marginalisation. Books that were once valued are so often forgotten and left to gather dust. The two works below are a part of the body of work created towards my MAFA, which dealt with the decay of books/knowledge through idleness, technology, and other influences. Each book used was specifically chosen for its title, and the work created based on this.