Brian Dettmer is a New York-based artist known for his detailed
and innovative sculptures with books and other forms of antiquated media.
Dettmer’s work has been exhibited internationally in numerous solo and group
exhibitions at galleries, museums and art centers including the Smithsonian
(D.C.)
This is what Dettmer says about his art:
The age of information in physical form is waning.
As intangible routes thrive with quicker fluidity, material and history are
being lost, slipping and eroding into the ether. Newer media swiftly flips
forms, unrestricted by the weight of material and the responsibility of
history. In the tangible world we are left with a frozen material but in the
intangible world we may be left with nothing. History is lost as formats change
from physical stability to digital distress.
The richness and depth of the book is universally respected yet often
undiscovered as the monopoly of the form and relevance of the information fades
over time. The book’s intended function has decreased and the form remains
linear in a non-linear world. By altering physical forms of information and
shifting preconceived functions, new and unexpected roles emerge. This is the
area I currently operate in. Through meticulous excavation or concise
alteration I edit or dissect communicative objects or systems such as books,
maps, tapes and other media. The medium’s role transforms. Its content is
recontextualized and new meanings or interpretations emerge.
credits: Brian Dettmer
