The forest lost its sap

San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland: The Rhinoceros Project, 2024. Softcover. Fine. Softcover. Number 7 of a variable edition of 40 copies. Anne Beck and Michelle Wilson are two well-known book artists who work both independently and also collaboratively as The Rhinoceros Project. This engaging book from them arose from a visit to the Sirente Crater during an artist residency in Abruzzo, Italy in the summer of 2021. The text is excerpted from an Abruzzese folk tale of a new star falling to earth, as well as the Roman Emperor Constantine's account of his vision before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. According to speculation, the Sirente meteor impact was the astrological event that Constantine witnessed as a sign from above, signaling the decline of paganism and the rise of Christianity (from the colophon). Production took place in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland, as well as at their respective studios. Suminagashi, pochoir, and pressure printing form the imagery, along side handset metal type in Piranesi and Empire typefaces. The interior pages are made of fibers from "Broussonetia papyrifera, the cover from Cortaderia jubata, and its enclosure from Gossypium heraceum. All papers were handmade by the artists. In fine condition. Measures 4 x 6.25 inches. Unpaginated [14 pages] ARTB/011525.