Description
“The Frontier Index” is a collaborative work by artist Raymond Pettibon and writer Mike Topp. The book draws inspiration from Kenko’s 1332 Essays in Idleness, employing the Japanese literary form zuihitsu, which translates to “follow the brush.” This style embraces juxtapositions, fragments, contradictions, and varying lengths of passages, creating an order that emerges from apparent disorder.
The content comprises a preface and 243 passages, each ranging from a single line to several pages. The work reflects on the landscape of twenty-first-century America, blending Pettibon’s provocative pen-and-ink illustrations with Topp’s whimsical and enigmatic prose (although it appears, to me, some of the text towards the end of the book read like Pettibon tweets — more “disorder”?). Doesn’t matter — the collaboration results in a unique exploration of contemporary culture, art, and literature.
Remember the tiny Hanuman books from the mid-80’s, all priced at $4 a title? Hanuman Editions is a contemporary publishing project that reimagines the legacy of Hanuman Books, the influential series of chapbooks produced between 1986 and 1993. Founded by art critic Raymond Foye and artist Francesco Clemente, the original Hanuman Books were known for their small, pocket-sized format and their focus on avant-garde literature and art.
Operating out of the historic Chelsea Hotel in New York City, Hanuman Books published works by a diverse range of authors, including John Ashbery, Eileen Myles, and William S. Burroughs. The books were printed in Madras (now Chennai), India, and were notable for their vibrant covers and eclectic content, which encompassed poetry, essays, and experimental prose.
In 2014, writer and art historian Shruti Belliappa founded Hanuman Editions to revive and expand upon the original series’ ethos. Co-edited with writer Joshua Rothes, Hanuman Editions pays homage to the original Hanuman Books while introducing new works that reflect the diverse voices of the contemporary avant-garde.
The first series of Hanuman Editions comprises six reissued books by authors such as John Ashbery, Cookie Mueller, and Eileen Myles, serving as a dedication to the original contributors. These books are designed as a contemporary homage to the playful kitsch and small, object-like quality of the original publications. The second series gathers approaches from today’s diffuse planetary avant-garde, featuring works by McKenzie Wark, Bora Chung, Enrique Vila-Matas, Vivek Narayanan, and the cult duo of Raymond Pettibon and Mike Topp.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.