Amazing book art

Lamenting over the future of the printed press? Sick of the Kindles and e-readers on the train? Miss the smell of a new book? Well it’s unlikely that Brian Dettmer will stop the inexorable shift to digital publication, but he may re-kindle some of your faith in the artistry of books. Have a look:



American Dettmer uses scalpels, tweezers, and grips to make meticulous trimmings to pages from old encyclopedias, dictionaries and medical journals. He adds nothing to the books, only takes away – little by little, page by page. The results are truly amazing.



Because of his legendary patience, precision, and the tools he uses to create his pieces, Dettmer has been dubbed “The Book Surgeon” by his many worldwide followers. Said Dettmer,

“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.”