Livers des Artistes

Frida Kahlo

Livers des Artistes. Fairfax, CA, Jungle Garden Press, 1994. One of only three copies, signed by the illustrator, Carl Dern, and the printer, Marie Dern. 

Playing with, or possibly parodying, the concept of the livre d'artiste, or artist's book, the tongue-in-cheek illustrations in this portfolio interpret the work of eight famous modern artists, incorporating a representation of a human liver into the artists' works.

Georgia O'Keefe

Ram's Head - 1930 (via)

Georges Seurat

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte - 1884 (via)

 

Kurt Schwitters

Mz 410 irgendsowas (something or other) - 1922

 (via)

Joan Miró

Nocture - 1940 (via)

Also included are parodies of René Magritte, Eva Hesse, and Joseph Beuys. Each illustration is preceded by a page bearing the name of the artist, letterpress printed by Marie Dern. The loose sheets are housed in a purple clamshell box designed by Dominic Riley.

 

In a Dadaist touch, a textured, liver-shaped piece of metal is laid in, and attached to the box on a piece of string is a small plastic figurine of a baby. It is a fitting "closure" to this quirky tribute to modern art done as a collaborative effort between Marie Dern, a book artist, and Carl Dern, an accomplished sculptor, and it reflects the sense of humor and irony found throughout the work of both artists.