This book is very different from my earlier artist's books, which combined photographic images with my poetic texts. In the Rosenberg book I'm experimenting with a mixture of pochoir (stencil), hand-painting using acrylic paint, and mixed-media (paper, canvas, metal, wood, etc.), on Khadi hand-made paper, which has a lovely weight and texture. The stencilling brings to mind the utilitarian lettering on trench nameboards and on shells, boxes of ammunition, rations, etc. Some of the sheets are white, and others grey-black. Although the book will incorporate the texts of some of Isaac Rosenberg's poems, I am concentrating on the overall design and 'objectness' of the book - its materiality - and in particular the creation of appropriate images. I like the immediacy of bold and simple signs and geometric shapes, such as were used by the Dada and Constructivist artists of the early 20th century - the period of Rosenberg's war service. I'm also experimenting with incorporating maps and other war documents and materials into the pages. The book can be seen on my stand in the 'Covered' section of the British Works on Paper Fair at Burlington House, London, 31st Jan - 1st Feb 2008 (PV evening 30th Jan).
