VARIATIONS on the dialectic between Mingus and Pithecanthropus erectus

VARIATIONS on the dialectic between Mingus and Pithecanthropus erectus is a new artist book by Lynn Sures, with text by Rick Potts and printing by Terrence Chouinard. Inspiring this book is the musical work entitled “Pithecanthropus erectus” written and performed by twentieth-century musician Charles Mingus.

Mingus speaks in the album liner notes about the stages of evolutionary development and the self-awareness of humans. Book artist Lynn Sures and paleoanthropologist Rick Potts use images and words to weave Mingus' musical tale together with the poignant factual story of early hominid Pithecanthropus erectus. The dialectic between Mingus and Pithecanthropus erectus addresses fragility, the power of creation, the hand played by chance, and the blank slate of the future.

VARIATIONS on the Dialectic between Mingus and Pithecanthropus erectus is an accordion with 16 pages of abaca, pulp-painted paper. Eight consecutive pages are printed with woodcuts and polymer-plate text, eight are printed with woodcuts alone.

Three pamphlets of abaca and hemp papers are sewn into the accordion; each contains two polymer-plate images and one essay, plus a watermark image. The title and colophon are printed on the front and back of the wrapper, which is a single folded sheet of abaca paper with a woodcut and polymer-plate text. All text and images are letterpress printed, all paper is handmade.

Variations description originally published in Book Arts Classified, written by Tom Bannister.

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