Tracey Bush of Fathom Five books creates artworks with an underlying concern for the environment. A series of books under the imprint Fathom Five Books, are based on aspects of the Thames. The Thames pH Book, is a multiple of tiny litmus paper books which are dipped page by page in river water. The water was collected with the help of the Environment Agency. The river journey is encapsulated by a list of locations, combined with physical traces of water river.
In 2005, Tracey Collaborated with the composer Isa Suarez to create the installation River Voices, which was shown at studio 2, Tate Britain. The project involved working with members of the public to produce an innovative artwork combining four large books and a sound composition. Both the sounds and images were created in collaboration with the public, and the final installation provided both a visual, tactile and auditory experience which was very well received. This installation was created in response to the Turner, Whistler, Monet exhibition at Tate Britain, and explored various ways of ‘looking’ at the Thames. River Voices was described by Mark Irving of the Times as: Evidence of an encounter with the great smelly, turbulent and marvellous beast that pushes it’s way through the capital, and in doing so remind us that the Thames is a constant source of inspiration, if we just make time to watch and listen to it.
Other book works include the artists book British Butterflies (stamp album) which explores the conventions of collecting both Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and philately (stamps) The book is an adapted stamp album, containing British butterflies cut from maps of the British Isles. There are quirky links to the common names of each specimen. For example, a real Comma butterfly has a white comma mark on its hind wing- the comma is in the same place on the cut paper specimen. A recent commission from the Natural History Museum, involved creating book butterflies from recycled materials. These have been pinned out in reclaimed cases from the entomology department’s decant, in preparation for the construction of the Darwin Centre stage 2.
Collections of Lepidoptera are available to commission, using the client’s own ephemera.
For mail order, or to contact Tracey directly, please e-mail fathom5books@hotmail.com
Image credits (from left): Daisy Chain, Primroses, British Butterflies
Tracey Bush
Paper & Book Art
The Workspace, Craft Central, 33-35 St John’s Square, London EC1M 4DS
T: 07941 958402
Contact: Tracey Bush
fathom5books@hotmail.com