Book Launch: Unfolding
Hi Everyone,
The book is here.
Unfolding is the first true monograph of my career, compiling my work over the past decade.
"It’s not so much the folds he adds to paper,
it’s the folds he adds to your brain."
Weschler is one of my favorite authors and people. For years he carried one of my paper pieces in his wallet. He showed it off to everyone he met. We joked it was the most exclusive gallery in New York.
#1 The Launch
The team from Snowday who shot this video for the launch used to rent space from me in the studio. They moved to Brooklyn 2 years ago and now shoot for the New Yorker and commercials for Google. My daughter Fjora wasn’t actually supposed to be in the video. But she showed up during the last day and the footage was too good not to include.
"Matt merges fluidity and structure by giving volume to paper. In this way, he has given paper a new visual language. He brings his impossible ideas into the physical world, he’s a bit like a magician."
I am humbled to have Eric Broug writing for my book. Broug is a legend in Islamic design circles and having him place my work in a larger continuum of art history is an honor.
#2 The Book
In keeping with the geometry of the work, the dimensions of the book are ‘16 cubed’: 16cm squared by 16cm squared by 16 signatures of 16 pages. Printed in full color on two paper stocks, the book features an interview between Stuart Kestenbaum and myself, as well as essays by acclaimed writer Lawrence Weschler and Islamic design scholar Eric Broug. The book contains a complete overview of my work over the past ten years, including small- and large-scale works, collaborations with scientific researchers and scientists, three-dimension reliefs, and sculpture – all in paper.
"Matt Shlian's work imbues space with grace and renews my sense of awe. Patterns and curves are alive and singing."
The interview with Stuart Kestenbaum is adapted from his Make Time Podcast (which I cannot recommend enough for podcast fans) Stu is a kind and thoughtful person and an amazing poet.
#3 The Release
Unfolding is being released via Thames and Hudson’s imprint Volume. They specialize in making custom Art books and Monographs.
You can get the book alone or the book + print, + 3D Art piece, + limited edition vinyl record with Ghostly Artists. I am telling you NOW so you can scoop up those early bird editions before anyone else!
Become a backer! Estimated delivery will be sometime in the fall of 2020, but don't wait! The funding deadline is Thursday, October 31 2019!
Best,