Vignettes of Ystov
The town of Ystov is portrayed in both image and language as a surprisingly pleasant and poetic assortment of inhabitants, landscapes, and wonders.  In the titular model, Goldsmith plays with the alphabet’s shape and word forms as well as faces and postures that telegraph character traits but also plot devices.  The images—combining gray ink with primary-hued washes—are reminiscent of the Russian-influenced picture books popular in the early 1960s in the Western world. However, in Ystov, neither repression nor mindless behaviors appear: instead we find scientists who are tired of astrophysics so turn to the study of coincidences, “cyclical furniture migrations” that offer real insight as well as slapstick physical humor, and the suspense that occurs when one tries to collect a mystery book where no one answers the door. Like a repertory film, the cast members here appear in singular vignettes that ultimately create a whole. A fine addition where good humor and fine arts are appreciated. --Francisca Goldsmith