ON THE ROD MELBOURNE BOOK LAUNCH
Sunday 18 November, 5.30pm, Hares & Hyenas Bookstore, Free Event.
On The Rod is a 322 page artist’s book project that used collaging, over-painting, erasure poetry-ing, postcarding and illustration techniques to satirize, critique, and obliterate a single copy of Jack Kerouac’s ‘On The Road’ and turn it into a queer feminist interjection. It is not a homage. It is not a retelling. It is not a copy of the original found object/book, or an adaptation. It has been totally transformed, it is unrecognizable. There is no sensible narrative. While in production, the pages were done in random sequence. It can be read in any order, and makes (non)sense with pages in isolation, and as a totality. The book was broken, so she fixed it.
2500+ postcards (all reproductions of various pages from On The Rod) were lovingly placed in random library books throughout Melbourne (& in select other locations), for readers to find and keep.
Having taken 4 full years of work to transform and create the one-off original, (& another year to work out how to duplicate it & make it publicly available)… it is finally going to be obtainable in one piece.
To celebrate, there will be poems, music and the opportunity to buy prints, postcards & eBooks. There will be a silent auction for one of the rare only 30 copies of the hardcover reproductions.
Featuring the incredible Sarah Curro (performing on the Spur Semi-Acoustic violin collaged by ReVerse Butcher) joined by David Jones the soulful drummer, Kylie Supski, Jax Jacki Brown, Amanda Anastasi, Ivy Lucille, Gabrielle Everall, and a special collaboration between Chris Wenn & ReVerse Butcher.
The book will be launched by Casey Jenkins Sh.
THE SILENT AUCTION
I am running a silent auction of one of the rare book hardcover duplicates of ‘ON THE ROD’ (edition #3 of 30 of copies only) It’ll be concluded at the book launch on the 18/11/2018. This is your lucky chance to get your hands on a very rare, physical, signed copy of the book.
The duplicates are all printed in beautiful hardcover. They’re 33 x 28 cms (13 x 11 in) wide format, 180 pages. Full color, signed (and if you want, specially inscribed) and in an edition of only 30 copies.
The reserve price starts at $200. I have set the reserve price much lower than I would usually price the book for sale for institutions, galleries and museums. This is to celebrate the launch of the eBook.
You do not have to be in Melbourne to bid on, or win the book – I’ve opened the opportunity up to everyone, anywhere. If you are not in Melbourne, and you win the silent auction, I will ship the book to you.
If you would like to make a bid, email me at: reversebutcher@gmail.com
Your name and the winning price of the book will remain anonymous, unless you choose to announce it yourself. I will contact the successful buyer after the book launch has finished, and yes, you can bid quietly and privately on the day should you be in attendance and wish to.
Happy bidding!
BIO
ReVerse Butcher is a multi-disciplinary artist with focuses in making unique artist’s books, collages, visual art, writing & performance. She will use any medium necessary to engage and subvert reality until it is less dull and oppressive. When she grows up she wants to be a well-read recluse. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia.
Her artist’s book “On The Rod” will be available as an eBook from November 18th 2018.
