CONNECT & DISCONNECT — CLAIRE DURANI NACK ARTIST BOOK — SELF-PORTRAIT COVERS — POEMS, COLLAGE, NUDES — 2001

Item #1600

A paper-fiber covered journal altered throughout by the late New York artist Claire Durani Nack, with painted self-portraits on both covers. The front cover is hand-lettered with the title “Connect and Disconnect” and her authorship claims; the rear cover similarly asserts “Original art by Claire Durani Nack.”

5" x 8". 30 leaves / 60 pages, paginated in black ink. 56 pages are used (4 blank). The contents are an energetic mix of watercolor washes, ink and marker drawings, and cut-and-paste collage, often combining loose fields of color with quick, expressive linework.

A bold, self-authored frontispiece declares ownership and sole authorship (“Property of Claire Durani Nack…”) and dedicates the book to her parents Rae and Irving Nack, emphasizing that both covers and all contents were made “without any collaborators.” Near the back is an “about the author” presentation: a photograph of a young Nack mounted beside a large handwritten statement identifying her as “artist and author of this book,” reiterating sole authorship and noting it was started in New York State in 2001 AD.

Recurring motifs include hats (frequently worn by her figures) and several illustrated poems/spreads, including “Hats” (continued), “Hearts” (continued), “Keno” (with a bold collage spread), and “Little Coral” (a poem and portrait of her cat). Interspersed among the portraits and poems are approximately seven nude figure drawings, rendered in the same naïve, expressive style (often nude except for a hat).

Binding: glued.
Condition: well-handled, handmade object with expected wear to covers/edges; first page beginning to come loose at the gutter; contents otherwise intact and vivid.

Price: $500.00