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Tragic Book Number Three
Contributors: Matthew Rudy, Jeffrey Guilliland, Joseph Dostal, C.K.Wilde, Rob Harless, Mark Hayward, David Kelly, Kurt Allerslev, Kent Winkler, Mark Wagner, S.L. Hoche, David Heagle, Andy Ewin, Margaret Weisbrod
Year: 1993
Edition: 20
Pages: 50
Size: 8 1/2" X 11"
20 covers made of Latex and paper with inclusions, were especially editioned by Kurt Allerslev for TB#3. Banana scratch and sniff stickers on the first page mixed with the heady scent of latex upon opening TB#3. The tragic book series takes a massive shift in this book with the attention to materiality as illustration. The fake vomit looking covers dare the reader to touch; the smells and textures, so unlike any book, provoke the reader before they even begin to read. The contents are labeled as " meticulously rendered paintings and drawings depicting a fascinating and surreal world..." The typography is all but illegible, either on purpose as in the case with Matt Rudy's fantastic calligraphy; or reduced to 6 point with more concern for the cost of reproduction rather than readability. Layouts for the book generally happened with late night glue stick sessions and beer- resulting in fadeouts, de-centered images, and random juxtapositions. Two window posters made with "registered" tri-tone black/blue/red toner were experiments in multi layer electro static printing. Appropriation is rampant in this issue with found photographs, computer optical trick images, and collaged in magazine texts. The narrative structure of the book is thwarted and challenged by the printing and design- a necessary departure from the ordinary corporate designed publications. There is a very cozy, psychedelic, family vibe going on in this book- an "in" joke for any one daring enough to pick it up. The one-eyed turkey man wearing sneakers at the end of the book says, "Dig it", and dug it was.
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