Reading a tube of toothpaste

The visit at the archives of the BAnQ made me realize the potential of bookmaking as a medium. This artist book by Yrénée Bélanger et Guy M. Pressault titled “Des mêmes auteurs” was very inspiring for me, because it made me see how art can be free from established norms, without sacrifice to imagination or creativity.

The title is set in a modern font, in approximately 20 points, while the publishing house, les Éditions de l’Oeuf, is set in a smaller size, perhaps 14 points. The inside is filled with a random assortment of pasta alphabet, which is curiously set in a transitional font, with bracketed serifs.

I think the format of this artwork explores what books represent as an object. Is it a vessel for storytelling? Or is it simply a decorative object, something symbolic to look at? After all, people often buy books that they never read. Conversely, when trapped in the bathroom without a cellphone, it’s not uncommon to start reading the label of a bottle of shampoo.