Celsius 232.7777777777778 degrees is the temperature at which books burn
By: by Marguerite Ryser
Contributors: Bradbury, Ray, 1920-2012; Al-Mutanabbi Street Coalition; Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Artists' Books Collection (Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library)
Publisher: [Marguerite Ryser]
Published: 2013
Place of publication: Geneva, Switzerland
Language: eng
Subjects: Violence; Pictorial works; Booksellers and bookselling; Bombings; Iraq War, 2003-2011; Protest movements; Books and reading in art; Intellectual life; Social conditions; Censorship; Terrorism in art; In art; War and civilization; Vehicle bombs; Visual literature; Specimens; Conceptual art; Book burning in literature; Artists' books; Al-Mutanabbi Street Coalition
Description: This collection supports and promotes awareness to the important mission and framework of the Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition's focus on the lasting power of the written word and the arts in support of the free expression of ideas, the preservation of shared cultural spaces, and the importance of responding to attacks, both overt and subtle, on artists, writers, and academics working under oppressive regimes or in zones of conflict, despite the destruction of that literary/cultural content.

"For the project Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here, Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, the temperature at which paper burns, was the source of inspiration. The texts are of nine quotations, in English, stating the importance of books and the danger of burning them. The background pages are composed of red squares representing blood. These pages are cut into two parts leaving the text to be exposed in between. The three superimposed symbols printed on this surface are people, flames and books, which are alternatively blue, yellow (lined with gold) and black. The cover is black with the same symbols (yellow, red and white)"--Statement from the Book Arts at the Centre for Fine Print Research, UK website.

Born in s'Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, Marguerite Ryser went on to live in South Africa during her childhood and adolescence, and only came to Switzerland for her post graduate studies. After having worked in several print studios in Geneva, and following courses and professional workshops, she opened her own studio, Amartistes, in 2004. However, for works of larger dimensions she prints at the Atelier Genevois de Gravure Contemporaine. Here she was a member of the committee from 2002 - 2006, and was President of the Association until 2011. Participating actively in international and national Print Biennials as well as ex-Libris competitions, she has been selected to exhibit her works all around the world. Having had a literary education, she has invested much of her time lately in the creation of artists' books and has participated in different meetings in this medium (Marseille, Vilnius, Geneva and Lausanne).

Approach to artists' books: According to the subject matter, she uses the technique corresponding the best to the artistic creation. For very small books, lino print, and for books with a poetic text, she uses typography and copper etching (eau-forte, aquatint or sugar lift). With certain works, she superposes prints and uses collages.
Notes: Printed in a limited edition of 3; made in 6 exemplars for March 5th, 2013.

Medium: Background, hard cardboard printed on paper (Zerkall 250gr), superimposed images, soft cut out acetate (ink-nontoxic water inks).

"Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here."

On March 5th, 2007, a car bomb exploded on al-Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad. Al-Mutanabbi Street is located in a mixed Shia-Sunni area. More than 30 people were killed and more than 100 wounded. Al-Mutanabbi Street, the historic center of Baghdad bookselling, holds bookstores and outdoor bookstalls, cafes, stationery shops, and even tea and tobacco shops. It has been the longstanding heart and soul of the Baghdad literary and intellectual community for centuries. In response to the attack, a San Francisco poet and bookseller, Beau Beausoleil, rallied a community of international artists and writers to produce a collection of letterpress-printed broadsides (poster-like works on paper), artists' books (unique works of art in book form), and an anthology of writing, all focused on expressing solidarity with Iraqi booksellers, writers and readers. The coalition of contributing artists calls itself Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition.

Gift; Beau Beausoleil; 2019-2020.