PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Utilizing found images from textbooks along with his own geometric patterns, Matthew Craven’s collages and illustrations seek to create a new handmade universe, juxtaposing imagery from different cultures and time periods to celebrate commonalities. Photographs of archaeological remains and the natural world are overlaid on colorful textiles drawn on the back of vintage movie posters, to create a hypnotic and mesmerizing vernacular of symbols and designs. Featuring an introduction by LACMA curator Leslie Jones, PRIMER is the first publication of Craven’s art and a reconfiguration of traditional historical narratives inspired by obsessive formations.

Matthew Craven is a Los Angeles-based artist whose work centers around found imagery combined with hand-drawn geometric patterns. He has shown in galleries all over the world including, New York, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, and Switzerland. His work has been reviewed in notable outlets including The Huffington Post, Art Critical, and The Brooklyn Rail. In 2017, he was the artist-in-residence for the Marfa Myths Festival. PRIMER is the first monograph from Craven.

BOOK INFORMATION

Trim Size: 9.25" x 12.5"

Number of Pages: 200 pages

Binding Method: Hardcover, casebound, square backed, zine pages tipped-on the front of signatures, gatefolds inserted into middle of signatures

Paper: Text: IKPP Uncoated Woodfree, 140gsm; Enso Classic, 80gsm; Cover: 3.5mm Greyboard wrapped in silk screened Wibalin, Buckram

Typefaces: Optima; Plantin

CREDIT INFORMATION

Creative Director: Keith Abrahamsson

Art Director: Bryan Cipolla

Book Designer: Nicholas Law

Jacket/Cover Designer: Bryan Cipolla

Illustrator: N/A

Photographer: N/A

Picture Editor: Nicholas Law

Production Director: Jesse Pollock, Bryan Cipolla

Production Coordinator: N/A

Production Artist: N/A

Other Credits: Foreword: Leslie Jones; Sales director: Casey Whalen; Publishing coordinator: Grace Srinivasiah

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