An anecdoted topography of chance*
By: Daniel Spoerri ; done with the help of his very dear friend, Robert Filliou ; and translated from the French and further anecdoted by their very dear friend, Emmet Williams ; enriched with still further anecdotations by their very dear friend Dieter Roth (translated from the German by Malcolm Green) ; with 100 reflective illustrations by Topor
Contributors: Filliou, Robert, author; Williams, Emmett, translator, writer of supplementary textual content; Roth, Dieter, 1930-1998, writer of supplementary textual content; Green, Malcolm, translator; Topor, Roland, 1938-1997, illustrator
Published: 2016
Language: eng
Number of pages: 271
ISBN-13: 9781900565738
Copyright date: 2015
Subjects: French literature; Translations into English; Artists' books
Work titles: Topographie anecdotée du hasard
Description: "An Anecdoted Topography of Chance is now acknowledged as the most important, and most entertaining "Artists' Book" of the post-war period, and this edition is the definitive appearance of a unique collaborative work by four artists associated with various avant-garde art movements, including Fluxus and Nouveau Réalisme.  What is the Topography? Hard to explain an idea so simple yet so brilliantly executed. Following a rambling conversation with his dear friend Robert Filliou, Daniel Spoerri one day mapped the objects lying at random on a table in his room, adding a rigorously scientific description of each. These objects subsequently evoked associations, memories, anecdotes, not only from the original author, but from his friends as well: a beguiling creation was born, and each time a new edition of the book appeared it grew larger and more elaborate. Many of the principal participants in Fluxus make an appearance, and texts by Higgins, Jouffroy, Kaprow, Restany and Tinguely are included, among others. It is a novel of digressions in the manner of Tristram Shandy, an archaeological game, a poem to the arbitrary, an encyclopaedia, a cabinet of wonders, but above all else, it is a celebration of friendship and creativity. The Topography both personifies and pre-dates the spirit of the Fluxus movement, and constitutes one of the strangest and most compelling insights into the artist's life. From out of the banal detritus of the everyday a virtual autobiography emerges: of four perceptive, eloquent and engaging members of the human species." -- Publisher's description
Notes: "*Probably definitive re-anecdoted version."--Title page

"The present version is based on the Atlas Press edition of 1995." -- Preface, page 9

Color illustrated end papers.

Includes index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction I. 1962, 1966, 1968; title: Introduction II. 1990; title: Introduction III. 1995; title: Mottoes; title: Piece of white bread; title: Crumbs; title: Pale-green egg cup; title: Litre of Vin des Rochers; title: Shell debris; title: Grains of salt; title: Jar of Nescafé; title: Box of matches; title: A match; title: Pepper shaker; title: Half-litre bottle of milk; title: Burnt match; title: Box of granulated sugar; title: Carton of Socosel; title: Fifty- and ten-centime coins; title: Package of Twining's Chinese tea; title: Jar of celery salt; title: Container of Vanilic glue; title: One of two square pockets of electric-blue Japanese silk; title: Transparent plastic container of VR 200 glue; title: Jar of curry powder; title: Pretty glass jar; title: Jar of mild paprika; title: small, light-blue rubber "bracelet"; title: White paper bag; title: Chunk from the same loaf of white bread; title: Stopper of tricoloured plastic; title: Small aluminium spoon; title: Quarter of a pound of butter; title: Glass of wine; title: Wine stain; title: Pin; title: Glazed earthenware bowl; title: Outline of a plastic bag; title: Paring knife; title: Wooden ruler; title: Worm-eaten joined wooden box; title: The box described above; title: Knitting needle; title: Small cube of a photo-portrait; title: Two candle butts; title: Metal stencils; title: Yellow plastic case; title: Spool of Tubino white bread; title: Safety pin; title: Large screw; title: Dark-blue plastic stopper; title: Red stapler (Swingline Tot 50); title: Iron rod; title: Small plastic pyramids; title: Bent nail; title: coins; title: On box 34, a bottle of Tuborg beer; title: Gold-coloured package; title: Lock for my room; title: Alarm clock; title: Strong black thread; title: Ordinary knife; title: Microminiature Norev model; title: Green Swingline stapler; title: Push button for a bell; title: Very pretty dark-blue bottle; title: Pack of blue toilet paper; title: Greenish bakelite ashtray; title: Burnt match; title: White shirt button; title: Electric plug; title: Tricoloured plastic stopper; title: Sample of Olfran aftershave lotion; title: Small dispenser; title: Two-pound container; title: Jar of powdered coffee; title: Screw, 2.5 cm. long; title: Peanut presented to me; title: Screw; title: Stopper from Vin des Rochers; title: White shirt button; title: White shirt button; title: Screw; title: Plastic box; title: Bottle of Sauzé; title: Roll of Scotch tape; title: Corner of a half-litre container of milk; title: Nail; title: Ordinary cork; title: Plastic bottle-stopper; title: Paint brush; title: Aluminium tube; title: A spool that isn't one; title: Rusty nail; title: Ball-point pen; title: Small white card; title: Paper clip; title: Bronze token; title: Four-leaf clovers; title: Cover for the plastic box; title: Magic Marker; title: Tin sauce ladle; title: Cigarette burn; title: Appendix I. Topographic relief index; title: Appendix II. Development of the snare-picture; title: Appendix III. Topographical reconstruction of a criminal act; title: Appendix Iv. Menus of the Restaurant de la Galerie J.; title: Appendix V. A listing of the objects; title: Appendix VI. Anecdoted topography of order; title: Appendix VII. Topor's notes on the illustrations.