Handmade book by Phoebe Ann Erb.Proving once again that not all the good art is in museums or commercial galleries, the Brookline Public Library mounted a small but choice exhibit of collages and handmade books by area resident Phoebe Ann Erb, who has also published several wonderful design source books.
Whatever collage.The exhibit, entitled Scraps and Snibbles, for the bits and pieces Phoebe utilizes, runs from July 7 until August 17. The artwork is in two cases in the main lobby (hence the glare in the photos) and in a large display case in the entry to the right as one faces the circulation desk - just ask, as the library is being renovated, so that entry is blocked from the outside but accessible from the interior.
Although layering of images is a common feature of contemporary collage, Phoebe's images do not necessarily overlap; like the vintage dictionaries and primers which are often her source and inspiration, images are visible in their entirety, thus retaining some of the didactic quality of the sources. Yet her compositions are lively and engaging, as the juxtaposition of images frees them from the rationality of the reference source.
Close-up of Whatever. The quote in the close-up reads "Whatever interests, is interesting -William Hazlett" and captures succinctly the spirit of the artwork.
