The book contains fantastic stories, long history and extensive knowledge. However, due to the popularity of e-books, its easy to forget about the physical form of text. San Francisco artist Alexis Arnold has spent nine years exploring the malleability of print media, transforming it into shimmering crystalline sculptures.
“My Crystallized Books series addresses the tension between the physicality of books and their words or content,” says Arnold. She used water to lift and curl the pages and covers, then used a borax solution to create crystals throughout the book. She continued: "The crystal hides the words and solidifies the books into geological sculptures."
Arnold has DIYed famous books such as "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Moby Dick" and "The Three Musketeers," as well as "Smithsonian Nature Guide: Rocks and Minerals" and other reference books. The unique features of each book (cover, page numbers, illustrations) are emphasized during coagulation using borax solution. Some sculptures appear more colorful and eye-catching, while others are filled with hardened pages.
San Francisco artist Arnold used a borax solution to treat books so that they could grow crystals.
This ongoing series, called Crystallized Books, addresses the relationship between the physicality of books and their content.
Arnold transforms books into functional, decorative objects akin to geological artifactsTaste.
