See SA/2301 - Twenty Mounted Studion Photographs from the '96 JAG Exhibition

Reference note:
Bound with a knotted leather thong through the margin. Each print is interleaved with rice paper.

Colophon: "1. The photo screenprints were done in collaboration with Cris Betambeau, Advanced Graphics, London. He informs me this is the first full-colour screenprint book to be produced in England.

2. There are 12 signed screenprints made in South Africa.

3. There is an original signed water colour. Each book has a different one.

4. Other material, such as a drawing is added according to my whim.

5. There are 7 proofs and an edition of 50 (fifty)."

The water colour in this case depicts a pink bougainvillea, signed. The last page is a unique ink drawing signed and dated 1973.

Title page: FOOK BOOK Number 1. Sept. 1973 by Ferdinand Fook and Walter Battiss. Fook Island was discovered by the original Ferdinand Fook on 6th January, 1723 and lies to the South East of the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean. It is a completely independent island with its own writing, its own songs, its own music, its own poetry, its own religion, its own stamps, its own coinage, its great beauty is unfortunately (the continuation of this description, on the second page, is in Fook script. On the facing title page is a franked copy of a Fook Island stamp.

"Shadow of Fook Stamp" affixed to page two of this book is illustrated on page 49 of "Walter Battiss - Gentle Anarchist" by Karen Skawran published by Standard Bank, 2005.

A partially complete list of books by Walter Battiss appears on page 220 of Battiss edited by Karin Skawran & Michael Macnamara, Ad Donker, 1985.

Exhibition notes:
Item 166 in the exhibition 'Artists Books in the Ginsberg Collection' at the Johannesburg Art Gallery 25/8/96-27/10/96

Samplings: South African Artists' Books

Basement Gallery, WAM

26 March to 6 July 2019

Ref: SA/2437