For several months now, I've been running an ongoing experiment/art project with my good buddy Gary. The story of the origins of how we got to this point in the Shingu Strategy is long, funny and worth telling, but I'll save that for another time.
What I'll mention now is that I had sent a book about the Japanese sculptor Shingu to Gary to let the elements in Hawaii work their magic. He left it outside in the wet environs of Kauai for many weeks and then sent it to me in Salt Lake City. It was in pretty hammered shape by the time I got it but I took it to the next level.
I don't normally "alter" books but… as I said, this is a spare copy and the back story demanded something be done…
Above, you can see it as it was upon arrival from Hawaii to SLC a few months ago (March of this year), still in it's wrapper from Gary and covered in spring snow.
Once I unwrapped it, I could see that it was slightly moldy, water-logged and a bit worse for wear, but mostly intact and still colorful:
Let's just say it needed some help. Hydrochloric acid always moves things along nicely:
Not to mention a months-long soak in rusty water and acid in my driveway:
After all of this, plus some quality time on my picnic table on my back deck, we are starting to see some interesting results for sure. Not sure what's next for our buddy Shingu, or how I'll ultimately use it, but… just like in French cooking, nothing will go to waste!
Here is a cool shot of the state of the cover:
And the state of the the few spreads that aren't currently stuck together:
