Scope and Contents

Higgins reviews Ruth Laxson's book "Measure-Cut-Stitch," held by the Sackner Archive. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Scope and Contents

This book "plots the logarithms of social measurement against stimulus values in decibels. It finds the sensation magnitude to be a constant that depends on interaction." Laxson uses scientific statements in a poetic mixture with social perceptions and feelings. These pages are printed in her typical arrangement of mixing different fonts and font dimensions. She also includes five pages of naive line drawings of a leader, a visionary, traffic, a friend, and a muse/guardian that contrast in style and content to the scientific, sophisticated typographic pages. Both inside covers have been collaged from edge to edge with letterpressed printed text. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Scope and Contents

Ruth Laxson combines worldly, sophisticated statements of truth and wisdom with lively typographic, hand drawn and written designs. The book is divided into three sections: Theory, Figments and Other. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Scope and Contents Vamp & Tramp: An artist book in three parts, subtitled "Chance Chants," "Timing," and "Logic." In this layered study of language and consciousness, Laxson explores the spoken and printed (or written) aspects of alphabetic cultures and an eventual diminishment of image-making because it diluted the potency of words. The book moves in a nonlinear fashion (even through the more linear sections ). To greatly oversimplify: Laxson begins in prehistory symbolizing the beginning of language as an extension of image-making by a combination rebus/word map. As a concept of numerical ordering develops out of the collective chaos—"We're here in the land of scheming"— the individual (ego) takes the stage. Ultimately, an inherent richness and diversity of awareness is abandoned for one that can be explained in words—"She: We all lost our capacity for awe and wonder . . when we started writing about it. He: But writing glorified monotheism, individualism. It invented money, prose, drama,...

Scope and Contents

Mention is made that Laxson's works are held by the Sackner Archive. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Scope and Contents

The exhibition at Printed Matter was held concurrently with the major exhibition at Neuberger Museum of Art. Both were curated by Johanna Drucker. This catalogue also lists the price of the works for sale. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Scope and Contents

This book was made in collaboration with the children, ages 10-12 years, of The Atlanta School as a companion work for an opera, The Power Plan (funded with a grant from the Metropolitan Opera company. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Scope and Contents

Laxson writes that the "title is inspired by D.H. Lawrence who said - Don't trust the artist. Trust the tale." And the tale is written by Laxson in brilliant twists, turns, shapes of typography and drawings. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Scope and Contents

Commissioned for "The Beauty In Breathing" exhibition. Highly stylized image of the lungs with words and symbols used to illustrate the act of breathing, which the artist has depicted as a musical event. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Scope and Contents

Theme deals with the rise and fall of the automobile in American culture. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Scope and Contents

Theme of this book deals with intellectual hazards of watching television. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.