The Book of the Erinyes is a handbound limited edition artist’s book currently
being created by Paul Watson. It was started in 2008 and will be completed at
some point in the future
Fragments of text will provide a disjointed partial narrative to the artwork—of
pursuit by the Erinyes—rather than being an illustrated story.
The text, written in the style of a late 19th century description
of pursuit by the Erinyes transcribed by an opium addict, presents an incomplete
narrative giving tantalising insights into the artwork.
The Artwork
The Book of the Erinyes is essentially a limited edition collection of pieces
of artwork, bound together in the form of a book (itself a form of Book Art).
The “interior” artwork is still being created, and currently consists of photographs
(some digitally enhanced & distorted) and lino prints.
The Text
As the artwork is being created, Paul Watson is also printing the text for the
book.
The text is being composited & printed using old-style movable lead type on a
Letterpress machine at the open access fine-art print workshops run by
Ink Spot Press in Brighton, giving it a unique turn-of-the-century finish that
is unachieveable with modern printing.
Each page will be high quality thick artists’ paper, giving it a great tactile
aesthetic that you can feel as well as
see.
Influences
The Book of the Erinyes draws influences from classical mythology, the growing
tradition of artist’s books, and altered books, graphic novels, the underground
popularity of Letterpress printmaking and hand-bookbinding, and authors such as
Jorge Luis Borges, Neil Gaiman, China Miéville, and Gene Wolfe.
The whole process—from planning to creation and beyond—will be openly documented
with an opportunity for you to comment and ask questions.
“I mouth the words of the sixty-ninth of the Orphic Hymns, hoping to entice
their kindlier aspects to the fore, but Alecto’s cold hiss of breath chills
the back of my neck. Perhaps writing is the atonement that can placate them.
I embrace this small hope. And so I write because I can no longer run…”
From the First Chapter of The Book of the Erinyes.
