New York, NY
Dead Language Press
1962
200 copies
silkscreened yellow wrappers, acetate outer wrapper
With 19 tipped-in black-and-white photographs
Buch, Künstlerbuch
Tipped-in black-and-white photographs include pictures of future Warhol superstars Mario Montez and Frances Francine, each measuring 2 1/4 inches square (5.7 cm. square), comprising 18 by Smith, and a portrait of the artist by Ken Jacobs. Wrappers after a design by Marian Zazeela; acetate outer wrapper. One of the seminal avant-garde artistic figures of the 1960s, Jack Smith influenced everyone from Andy Warhol to Cindy Sherman. Warhol bought his first movie camera in 1963 and openly mimicked Smith's filmmaking style, writing: "I went out to Old Lyme. . . Jack Smith was filming a lot out there and I picked something up from him for my own movies--the way he just kept shooting until the actors got bored. People would ask him what the movie was about and he would say things that sounded like a takeoff on the mad artist, such as, 'The appeal of an underground movie is not to the understanding' " Subsequently, Jack played the title role in Warhol's "Dracula" where, according to the filmmaker, he "really got into the part." The Warhol connection continues with "The Beautiful Book," which features future Warhol superstars Mario Montez and Frances Francine. (Ironically, Smith called his actors "Superstars" long before the term was popularly recognized). Many of the photographs in the book reflect a wild eroticism that was also associated with Smith's performance works. The cover design was based on a sketch by artist Marian Zazeela, musician LaMonte Young's partner and collaborator, who also appears in a number of the images. The final portrait is a study of Smith by filmmaker Ken Jacobs. (Auction Cat. Swann Galleries, New York, 13.-14.02.2007, sale 2103 lot 81). - Another copy of this book was offered by Swann, NY, in 2011, and yet another in Febr. 2012 which was unsold. The catalogue text was as follows: „Sale 2270 Lot 81 [Febr. 28, 2012]: SMITH, JACK. The Beautiful Book.
With 19 photographs, many of them erotically charged. With images of Warhol superstars Mario Montez and Francis Francine, and a portrait of Smith. Silver prints, 2 1/2 inches (6.4.cm.) square, 4 are detached from the mounts. 4to, stiff wrappers, with a black silkscreen and yellow lettering; soiled; ink residue and small stains on inside front and rear covers. first edition, one of a planned edition of 200 copies (of which 60 were apparently produced). New York: Dead Language Press [Piero Heliczer], 1959. Estimate $25,000-30,000. - The pioneering gender-bending performance artist Jack Smith, who was also a film-maker and photographer, was a seminal figure in New York's downtown avant-garde scene of the 1950s-1960s, and influenced contemporary artists ranging from Andy Warhol to Cindy Sherman. - Warhol bought his first movie camera in 1963 and openly mimicked Smith's filmmaking style, writing: "I went out to Old Lyme. . . Jack Smith was filming a lot out there and I picked something up from him for my own movies--the way he just kept shooting until the actors got bored. People would ask him what the movie was about and he would say things that sounded like a takeoff on the mad artist, such as, 'The appeal of an underground movie is not to the understanding.' " Subsequently, Warhol invited Smith to play the title role in "Dracula" where, according to the filmmaker, he "really got into the part." - The Warhol connection continues with "The Beautiful Book," which features gender-bending photographs of artworld luminaries, including future Warhol superstars Mario Montez and Francis Francine -- who also scripted many of Warhol's films -- as well as Marian Zazeela. Interestingly, Smith called his actors "Superstars" long before the term was popularly recognized. Many of the photographs in the book reflect a wild eroticism that was also associated with Smith's performance works and his interest in transgender dress-up. - This copy includes a different selection of photographs than the one sold in Swann's December 13, 2011 sale. The coloration for this iteration features a black cover design and yellow lettering versus the yellow-on-yellow design that appeared in the copy sold last year.“ - Nur Kurztitelaufnahme 08.2007.