The Rakow Research Library of The Corning Museum of Glass recently added a new treasure to its collection: a special edition of Michael Glancy’s book, Infinite Obsessions. Glancy, who recently spoke at the Museum’s Meet the Artist series presented the book to the Library during his visit.
Michael Glancy: Infinite Obsessions, 1996-2011. 2 x 4.5 in. piece of glass art titled Almost Perfect inserted in the cover. 228 p.: ill. (chiefly col.); 28 x 30 cm. New York, N.Y.: Barry Friedman Ltd. 2011. (BIB ID 123028)
Infinite Obsessions is a history of Michael Glancy’s work with glass and metal, his pursuit of a perfect object. The Library’s edition has a glass inlay in its cover titled Almost Perfect. Almost Perfect incorporates a piece of German sign glass on which the artist cut and applied electroformed copper in his signature style.
The electroformed glass inlay on Michael Glancy: Infinite Obsessions
The glass was given to Glancy by Dale Chihuly when Glancy was studying with Chihuly at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) between 1974 and 1980. Both the book and the glass are signed by the artist.
The reverse side of the inlay is signed by the artist
Glancy’s Infinite Obsessions is one of a handful of books in the Rakow Library’s collection that incorporate glass into the physical design of the book. Another notable work is Modernt Svenskt Glas, a book with cover boards made of glass. Both volumes are part of the Library’s small, but growing, collection of “artists’ books”; a genre in which the book itself is intended to be a work of art. Infinite Obsessions is a wonderful addition to our collection and truly one of the Rakow’s treasures.
Inside cover of Michael Glancy: Infinite Obsessions
Pingback: Meet Jim Galbraith | Corning Museum of Glass