"Out of Breath"

After so many dark or black or carbonized books last year, I had planned to make more optimistic colourful books this year for a change. But..... the whole Covid 19 pandemic and some personal events have changed my plans. 

"Out of Breath" is informed by Black Lung Disease which is still alive and well amongst coalminers in Australia today. While the world still struggles with the reality of climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels, there are additional compelling reasons for leaving most of our coal where it is in the ground. 

The turning of the pages of this book mimic the process of breathing in and out. The pages alternate between black and white, positive and negative versions of the same image made with carbon paper. After much searching black carbon paper was sourced ironically, in China, one of the most polluted countries in the world.

The papers are very thin and fine and suggest lung tissue or X-Rays of tissue and need to be picked up with a little pointed lifter. 

This very interactive book doesn't work well by looking at still photographs at exhibitions or blogs that discourage handling of the pages (probably a wise decision with the pages being so delicate). I hope the small video gives a better idea of the breathing process and seeing through the pages right into the "lungs".