Turn left at Venus

Turn left at Venus
Section-sewn book with exposed spine

I made this book for BiblioArt 2020. Each participant in this annual exhibition, held at Blarney Books and Art in Port Fairy, receives a book title from which to draw inspiration. The title is drawn randomly from a hat.

It’s always interesting to see how an idea emerges from the title drawn from the hat. I borrowed my book, Turn Left at Venus by Inez Baranay, from the library, and while I quite enjoyed reading it, found myself disturbingly uninspired to make an artwork based on the story. After a great deal of angsting, I realised I was more taken with the title itself, especially as I have a dilettente’s interest in the solar system. So Planet Venus, and the notion of travelling through space (and time), became the inspiration. My imagery (for both book and an accompanying print) is drawn from the idea of orbits, rotation, the enhanced colour of Hubble photographs, and the brightness of Venus in the night sky. The book’s central gatefold features the surface of Venus: travel towards it and everything is colourful, turn left and the colours become muted. The print uses the same imagery in a grid pattern, a kind of astronomical calendar of planetary phases.

Epson archival matte paper, pigment inks, linen thread, ribbon, bookcloth
Measures 11 cm w x 12.5 cm h x 4 cm d