CHILD-LIKE ART BOOK
Suzanne Klotz-Reilly. Item #1422
Made by artists, collaborators, and partners Mike Reilly and Suzanne Klotz-Reilly (since divorced), this twenty-three page book is a playful, mixed media memory index that reads as a fantastical imaginary. The duo designed this artists’ book to appear as though drawn and written by a child. The illustrations, made by accomplished artist Suzanne Klotz, are unsophisticated and messy. The images were made using ink, crayon, marker, fabric, lace, glitter, human hair, matches, iron-on patches, photocopy images, bird feather, boa feathers, ribbon, glue, and tape. As stated on the title page, this is a limited edition art object. This is copy 9 of 25. It is undated, but it is likely from 1985.
“Everything Changes” as it is titled, at times foreshadows their separation, namely with the page stating: “He prayed to the sky above that she would leave him, she prayed to the same sky for changes.” The illustration that follows is of two figure kneeling on either side of the bed, “Praying”.
The front cover with the title at top, portrays an image which situates the viewer as though they were standing in front of the bathroom sink. There is one red toothbrush hanging on the wall, a yellow bar of soap, green tiles, and a mirror. The mirror above the sink is embellished with foil-like duct tape that is reflective. The viewer can see themselves distorted in the image. The photocopied drawing is laminated (as are all others to varying degrees). The laminated paper is nailed to a homemade wooden frame. The nails at verso are covered with fabric which is glued down. The frame is decorated with plastic marbles, three of which are missing. Three boa feathers The entire book is held together by use of book binder rings. The back cover is a painted piece of wood.
Attached to the back cover is “Index [of] Memories (study sheet)”. The list is this: me, you, him, her, us, them; inside, outside, above, beyond, below, under, pretend, before, during, after, it’s, when, the. In a box of their own: lakes, houses, people, funiture [sic], animals, places, smells, times, feelings, family, things, thoughts. This does not function as an ordinary index, perhaps it was used to spark the writing used in this art book.
The book opens: “Harmony and memory,/ key boards and Ouija/ boards, black box/ nightmares, just/ remember where/ you have been.” The text is underlined using yellow and red crayon. A small iron on patch is taped to the page below the writing. The following page is a mixed media collage titled “Listening box”. The image is like that out of dream: uncanny, bizarre, against interpretation.
The book continues: “Can you keep a secret when you look at my new baby? Please try, because my baby is full of secrets.” The page that follows possesses a drawing of the new baby. Real hair is placed on the head of the parent.
A drawing under the title “Young Boy and Demons” is of an outsized cartoon boy with a burnt matchstick in each hand. The demons are photocopy images of salacious women. The boy himself has glitter horns, suggesting he, too, is demonic.
There is real hair on the head of seven drawn figures. One image of a father and son, suggest that their private appendages are made of glitter.
The book ends on this note: “All the rock stars/ of the 60’s sang as one,/ 1985 wasn’t supposed/ to be free, but I/ saw that old dog with/ the suitcase again/ just last night.”
Klotz (also known as Klotz-Reilly) was born in 1944, and her work is included in the permanent collections of the National Museum of American Art (Smithsonian Institute); Spencer Art Museum in Lawrence, Kansas; Scripps College in Claremont, California; at the American Craft Museum in New York and at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
The book is complete and in very good condition.
Price: $295.00