Island: Journal from Iceland, September 1995

[Santa Barbara, CA]: [Simplemente Maria Press], 1999. Limited Edition. No binding. Fine. Heebner, Mary. No. 44 of 60 copies (total edition), folio size, with twelve giclée prints each encased in a letterpress-printed folio, signed by Mary Heebner on the verso of each print and at the colophon. Mary Heebner founded her Simplemente Maria Press in 1995, and her works can be found in museums and institutions throughout the world, including The John Paul Getty Research Institute, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Stanford University, The British Library, and many more. Her work "unites poetry, ancient art, artifact, place-based inspirations, and images with studio practice, print, and papermaking to create hand-crafted books that couple visual art and writing in a varity of formats."

This work was inspired by a three-week trip Mary took to Iceland in the late summer of 1995. Captivated by the landscape and scenery Mary "had the overwhelming urge to paint volcanically". Returning to her studio she created a body of work both visual and written which evoke the spirit of Iceland, a land which is about 17 million years old but was only populated by humans around the year 870 CE.

The prints (see details below) are stunning in their variety and tonality, and perfectly paired with Mary's place-reminiscences. Note that of the 60 copies produced, ten were hors commerce with nine copies held by institutions per our OCLC search. Somewhat uncommon in the marketplace due to the limitation, as of this writing there is only one other copy online.

___DESCRIPTION: Twelve original watercolour monotypes which were then scanned to produce a suite of giclée prints on Somerset rag paper, to which Mary then added colour touches by hand and signed on the verso; each print is encased in a folio of hand-made Abaca paper created by Rie Hachiyanagi, the first serving as the title page with an outline of Iceland and a short introduction by Heebner, the next eleven with, on the front, a piece of prose or poem inspired by the locations visited with the front fore-edge uncut, the text printed letterpress from photo polymer plates by Lucy Brown; a thirteenth folio at the rear has the colophon only printed upon it. All thirteen folios are encased in a three-fold chemise wrap designed by Mary Heebner and Sandra Liddell Reese consisting of white Kyoseishi and indigo Kozo paper over an onyx board, with a black ribbon tie to hold the components in place; the chemise is then housed in a clear acrylic slipcase withe blue lettering on the spine.

___CONDITION: Fine overall; the giclée prints clean and without wear, the Abaca paper folios fine but for a short, shallow unintended crease to the bottom corner of the first folio as the uncut edge reachs out past the dimensions of the chemise, the chemise clean and without wear, the ribbon ties secure, and the work entirely free of prior owner markings. The acrylic slipcase near fine, strong and sturdy with some light scratch marks on the exterior.

___CITATION: Quotes from the exhibition catalogue "Mary Heebner, Simplemente Maria Press, Bridging Image & Word, 25 Years, 1995-2020" by UC Santa Barbara for an exhibit which was planned, but then cancelled due to covid.

___POSTAGE: Please note that this is an unusually heavy item and additional postage may apply; please inquire for details.

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