The cycle of censorship
By: by Dina Scheel
Contributors: Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Artists' Books Collection (Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library); Al-Mutanabbi Street Coalition
Publisher: Dina Scheel
Published: 2012
Place of publication: [Los Altos, CA]
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; Cultural property; Destruction and pillage; Historic districts; Toy and movable books; Arts; Artists' books; Book burning; Intellectual freedom
Description: "This is a moveable book - to tell its story, it rotates through the middle.  Push down on the outside while raising the center to operate; begin with the whiter side on the outside.  The burnt paper should be facing upwards.  The cycle begins with the aftermath of an act of censorship, such as the bombing of Al-Mutanabbi Street on March 5, 2007.  The black represents censorship and oppression of ideas, which the censorship is attempting to control.  However, ideas cannot be contained.  As the book moves, gold - symbolizing ideas - begins to emerge amidst the darkness.  It then radiates outward as gold lines as it spreads. Finally the ideas are accepted and adopted into the culture as shown by the gold flecks.  The original ideas then breed new ideas, which in turn raise hackles and cause some to want to suppress or censor them.  Thus the black begins to return until we are back to the start with an act of censorship and the cycle begins anew"--Colophon.
Notes: Edition of 25.

Materials: Tyvek, found papers, linen thread, acrylic paint and cotton linen material.

Publication information from 23 Sandy Gallery website (viewed Dec. 3, 2014).

The book structure is based on Yami Yamauchi's origami form called "Fireworks".  It consists of 12 sections; each of these contains a bound booklets with burnt pages in various languages.  Materials used are Tyvek, found papers, linen thread, acrylic paint and cotton linen material.

Gift; Beau Beausoleil; 2019-2020.