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Make graceful and lasting change

Chairs and Airplanes


Cindy Tonkin - April 24, 2023

Comfy Chairs and Airplanes is an altered book.

The original was about the life and homes of Frank Lloyd-Wright. It’s a darling size of a book, and i had hung onto it for a long time because since my visits to Chicago I have a bit of an interest in his work. I finally let that go, reasoning that all of the images and information are available online somewhere (and since I had never actually read it in all the years I held it. I don’t know where the book originally came from, probalby from a road-side fence in Newtown or Marrickville over the years.

i was particularly eager to work on this one because after Secrets, which constantly closed its pages on me, this one sits flat all the time.

Killed about half of the pages, and collaged each. Used some old wrapping paper (with leaves) from a William Morris book of wrapping paper, a few of my ephemera / magazine pages taken from Donna Hay mostly, some images of airplanes from the World Book Encyclopedia, and of course images of comfy chairs and ottomans, from an advertisement for a furniture place (20 or so lounges, just sitting waiting to be contextualised!). Over time some of the pieces of furniture have been obscured (it’s like a Where’s Wally for lounges). Also leftover bits from Clocks and National Geographic (there are still maybe 60 national geographics in my attic, one day i will bring them down).

Used a lot of black sharpies and my watercolour markers. And the occasional gold pen. Gotta do more with the gold pen!

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