Production Narrative

by T. Shaw

VSW Press Founder and the artist are obvious resources for an accurate production narrative of this title.

Critical Analysis

by T. Shaw

Design Features

typographic: Straightforward typographical presentation tending towards mimicry or representation of Merriam-Webster's dictionary, if not copied directly through photographic means.

imagery: All imagery is of one figure printed on an elastic gelatin photoemulsion making it pliable. It is then stretched and manipulated. Aside from a few drawings and graphs, the flexible image forms are the only images throughout the book.

graphical: The design incorporates visual evidence interspersed within blocks of text as direct figure examples. Dynamic notational systems such as underlining, encircling and graphing are also used throughout.

openings: More or less consistent throughout, with the exception of an Introduction, Conclusion, and the beginnings of sections, with image-interspersed texts on the left and larger illustrative image examples on the right-hand side.

turnings: The turnings are consistent from spread to spread and the margin area around blocks of text interspersed with imagery and diagrams is more or less the same througout

development: This book's development is circular, moving from self-critical statement of purpose and metaphorical discourse, to evidence from experimentation, ending with a restatement of metaphoric intentions.

sequence: The approach is analytical and evidentiary, so the sequence follows that imagery directly show proofs of thought in the text.

Critical Discussion

As Gordon states in the book, Proteus was a mythological shape-shifter and a symbol of primal matter. She also comments that Proteus knew the future, as well as the past. The same could be argued for Gordon's topological studies which precursor 3-modelling and popular morphing software while simultaneously referencing older cross-fade techniques in animation. Gordon's use of the dictionary and links between language and the body strongly connect with 3-D wireframe modelling in which representational forms are made from written code.

Detailed Analysis

Gordon's work with images is the definition of reification: to make something abstract a material thing. This particular book reifies Gordon's process.

The Anatomy of Proteus

Agents

Bonnie Gordon

type: initiating

role:
artist
author

nationality:
active: United States

dates:
publication: 1982-00-00

Visual Studies Workshop Press

type: initiating

role:
printer
publisher

New York Council on the Arts

type: other

role:
Provided support through an individual projects grant

Publication Information

edition type: editioned

publisher: Visual Studies Workshop Press

place: Rochester, New York

dates:
production: 1982-00-00

Measurements

vertical: 10 inches closed

horizontal: 8 inches closed

Production Information

production means:
offset (local)

binding: saddle stitching (AAT)

substrate:
bookBlock: paper

media:
ink (local)

Appearance

format: codex (AAT)

cover: Paper

color: no

Content

pagination: paginated 15 pages

numbered?: unnumbered

signed?: unsigned