Book Autopsies

Brian Dettmer carves into books revealing the artwork inside, creating complex layered three-dimensional sculptures. He seals, then cuts into old dictionaries, textbooks, science and engineering books, art books, medical guides, history books, atlases, comic books, wallpaper sample books, and many others, exposing select images and text to create intricate three-dimensional derivative works that reveal new or alternative interpretations of the books. He never inserts or moves any of the books' contents however in more recent work, Dettmer has augmented his artistic process by folding, bending, or rolling one or more books before sealing and cutting them, and in some instances, sanding them. 

In an earlier post artist Jennifer Maestre turned pencils into exciting sculptures, Dettmer is another artist who turns normal everyday objects into exciting works of art!