Leijonstedt » Books: Sculptural Art

‘Wisdom Keepers’

Mia — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 23:40:53 +0000

I was enticed to explore the genre of wearable books by a dear friend who requested one from me. It had been at the back of my mind to one day make my own version of what seems to be quite popular among some bookbinders: a book pendant. It was natural that I’d make such a piece of jewellery in a very ‘talismanic’ style. I set out to make three, in order to explore various possible structures and details. In all of the three here, the page size is approximately 50×50mm (2″x2″) and the pendants are light enough to be comfortably worn around the neck.

Covered in reindeer leather, blind-tooled, with Sichuan Quartz (Tibetan ‘Herkimer’ Diamond) and African Turquoise (a type of Jasper).

Made in the style of medieval girdle books, but obviously worn as a pendant rather than attaching to one’s belt. Covered in reindeer leather, with antique metal filigree buttons and a brass chain.

Combining reindeer leather, blind-tooling and semi-precious beads with macrame knotting.

‘Escapes’

Mia — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:48:18 +0000

This is an artist book with a short hand-written text and accompanying abstract imagery made with ink. One may detect people in these “ink blotches” that relate to the text in one way or another. The whole book is very light in weight. It’s a tied accordion structure which makes for turnable pages rather than opening out into a long concertina. The page size is approximately 22×22cm, and the book is from July 2011.

‘Escapes’ is an artist book quite unlike I normally make, it is the exception to the rule as it were. It is one of those challenges I gave myself, mainly about a time limit. Since I usually labour over all my books meticulously for days on end, I started wondering if I would be at all able to make something in, say five hours flat. No more.

It was clear the book would need to be something visually minimal as opposed to my usual ‘maximalist’ style. I would also need to not get too fussy about details as it would stretch the making time well beyond the five hours I had given myself. I wasn’t allowed to explore all the possible details, wasn’t to obsess about the measurements too much, settling with a very simple structure, etc. I needed to make all decisions very quickly.

At the time of making this book, I had been thrown into following another person’s life story quite closely, so this was something that naturally presented a theme to explore, or rather, it was the closest one to grab, I did not start to mull over possible themes or select too specifically, I needed to go with the flow to keep in time… Therefore, a quick decision.

As I had set out to challenge myself with time to begin with, I thought to add another aspect that would deviate from what type of work I usually make. I decided to explore a sequence as in a normal, standard book content – so not my usual sculptural, symbolic piece, but rather a straightforward “content story”, because this also would simplify the project and allow me to complete it within my time limit. The total time I completed the book in, was about five and a half hours in the end.

An interesting experiment, different from the more “involved” work I normally do. I did notice how the time limit pushed me away from the meditative approach I like to take with my books. I wasn’t completely comfortable with it, after all, it has taken me years to develop a certain way of working. But it’s always useful to step out of one’s comfort zone and see where one ends up. Some books don’t need to be any more serious than that.

In public collection:
Bank Street Arts Centre
Sheffield, UK

‘Invisible Moon’

admin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:55:38 +0000

‘Palm leaf’ structure with wooden boards.

‘Dark clouds on the dark sky hide a dark moon.
Night dies and the wanderer remembers dawn.’

This artist book continues my exploration of the journeys of the wanderer, a character from a poetic story I have been writing on and off for the past ten years. The materials are my usual combination of leather, wood and tin -melted free form- as well as some white coral. The pages of the book are painted with acrylic inks.

‘Book of Qamar’

admin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:33:51 +0000

A round artist book.

This book was first sewn with link stitch, then dipped fully in ink, pages separated to dry, then drawn and printed. Covers are embossed goat skin, other materials include tin and parchment.

Ten years ago I started to write a tale, a mythical inner journey about a “Wanderer of a Thousand Moons” being summoned to his calling and path. The text is in Finnish, in lyrical form. But the whole concept has always been larger than the text itself and I’m also exploring it in paintings as well as artist books. Book of Qamar came about from this exploration. When the book was almost completed, I stalled at a language issue. I could have written fragments of the tale in Finnish, but it just wasn’t the time yet. I wouldn’t be able to easily translate into English either. So when in doubt… it turned out apt to choose symbols instead, like I often have done in the past. Only this time someone may be able to decipher them. On the inner covers of the wrapper, I have collected words that “belong” to the tale, and written them in Arabic. The concept of the book entails that this is a piece belonging to the tale itself, it could be the diary or a sketchbook of the Wanderer. There is an ancient feel to this object, like it had been lost in time. The book itself opens up into a ball, like a dark moon. Positioned in the middle of the circle, it could also be construed as a divination tool, or a compass showing the way.

Internal views showing the imagery in the book – these could be likened to phases of the Moon and are glimpses into the phases on the Wanderer’s journey.

‘Sebastien’

admin — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:52:40 +0000

‘Palm leaf’ structure with leather covered boards.

The client commissioned this book for her son’s 18th birthday. Quite by coincidence, although somewhat older, I share the same birth date with the recipient. The book is a collection of photographs, notes and letters from the friends and family of the recipient, collected by the client. It also includes envelopes for housing various memorabilia. The covers are dyed reindeer leather, with tooled and painted initials in Arabic (provided by the client). The collage on the cover symbolises the forthcoming journey of the recipient, leaving behind the familiar, heading off to adventures new. The book is protected by a leather wrapper with additional talismanic charms holding it closed. The process from the initial concept to the final completion of the book took several months and it was a wonderful collaboration that resulted in quite an original, unique heirloom piece that will hopefully travel with the recipient for many years to come.

In private collection

‘Moonscapes’

admin — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:09:49 +0000

Constructed book with wooden pages.

This large wooden book consists of five pages, wood veneer covered in sand and ashes with collages of melted tin. The pages are tied into covers with thick leather cord. The book draws its inspiration from the phases and landscapes of the Moon. I’m generally very reluctant to date my work as I feel any kind of analysis according to timeline would be artificial – all of my books I could still make today. There might be phases of materials and techniques that I work through, but in essence, I could still make each of my books today, all of my books to me are that ‘fresh’ creatively. In my creative sphere, none of my books is older or newer than another. But, it may be of interest to some, that this particular artist book is the very first artist book I ever made. That was in 1992 and what sparked it all of, my love of artist books, was and still is, the incredibly beautiful artist books of Finnish painter Senja Vellonen, who at the time was also my teacher at University of Art and Design in Helsinki. And as it happens, I still use melted tin in my work, as well as pyrography. As great as knowledge and skills are, they sometimes also come in the way – or one must get past them to reach the most honest expression. In many ways, maybe my books just came about easier, earlier.

This book was destroyed by fire in 2009

‘Jewel Sonnets I’

admin — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:23:45 +0000

Book sculpture.

This is the first of a series where the book makes some references to jewellery. Materials are mainly deer parchement, gold power and natural pearls. The display of this book can be altered in many different ways. The hand-written poem in this one is Shakespeare’s “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day”.

‘Lost Spells of Merlin’

admin — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:09:49 +0000

Constructed book.

This large yet incredibly light-weight artist’s book features imaginary lost spells of Merlin. Hand-drawn and painted imagery is based on the ancient druid legends. Each page has a hole in the middle, giving a three-dimensional effect when peaking through the book – like travelling in time. Included is a magic doll, ‘the Guardian of the Spells’.

‘Book of the Dead’

admin — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:09:47 +0000

Book sculpture.

This large book draws inspiration from the Mexican Day of the Dead. It features two ‘pages’ separated by a leather leaf. The covers are soft leather with a Sun made of melted tin on the front. The symbology and visual narrative of this book tell a story without words. This is a seminal piece among my artist books – it is the second artist book I ever made. First exhibited in Finland in 1993, it was met largely with some incomprehension. In the years to come, it has been noted in various contexts several times, also being featured in the Dutch publication ‘Het leven van texten’ by Kiene Brillenburgh Wurth & Ann Rigney (Amsterdam University Press, 2006) In many ways, at the time of creating this piece, I was not yet encumbered by such learnings in the field of book arts that was, in hindsight, very liberating. At the same time I feel this work still to be very contemporary, I could see myself making the same piece still now, years later.

This book was destroyed by fire in 2009

‘Knight’s Prayer’

admin — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:30:53 +0000

Parchment scroll.

This is a scroll that contains drawings, accentuated with some gold and silver ink. The one continuous page alternates between black goat skin and deer parchment, stitched together.