There are numerous artists who work with paper, using words to record their thoughts and share them with others through books. However, the existence of books doesn't solely rely on being passed down as first-hand or second-hand copies. Over the past 17 years, Hawaiian artist Jacqueline Rush Lee has transformed used books into book sculptures, showcasing an alternative possibility for the perpetuation of books.
Jacqueline Rush Lee doesn't simply carve or shape second-hand books; instead, she subjects them to high temperatures in an oven. Without adding any clay, she "fossilizes" the books, turning them into unique cultural artifacts.
In Lee's works, the books go through processes such as soaking, drying, and twisting.
Some appear as solid as wood carvings, while others exhibit a carbonized texture, resembling the rebirth of a phoenix after being consumed by fire. Some take the form of rolled paper flowers, while others are compressed beneath the book covers, reminiscent of primitive forms resembling tree rings. Regardless of the approach, once the books are transformed from their original state, their contents become unreadable.
However, through the sculpture's form, they continue to share their beauty and melancholy with the world, perpetuating their enduring and timeless nature.
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