This publication brings together the source material that has informed Marclay's visual practice over the past few years. It gathers nearly 600 black & white Xeroxes of found image collages compiled with the help of graphic designer Laurent Benner.
“Maybe it's because I'm not a very good draftsman, collage feels like a more natural approach to sketching and developing ideas. I cut and paste and use my photocopier as a quick way to experiment and develop ideas. My work is all about finding, sampling, appropriating images and sounds, and transforming them. The found image is usually what triggers a thought process—formulating ideas or simply reaffirming latent thoughts. It's a way to instantly mediate an image and get a little distance from it. Accidents are also often revealing. Like the camera, or any video editing software, the photocopier is just another tool.”
– Christian Marclay
Marclay's compilation of hundreds of high-contrast black-and-white Xeroxes are like scribblings in a notebook, the first stages of experimentation towards more finished works, a glimpse into the artist's creative process. This book brings together the source material that has informed Marclay's practice over the past few years. It was designed in collaboration with Laurent Benner, a graphic designer who has worked with Marclay on various other books and record covers. Their shared sensibility informs this beautiful new book.
Over the past 30 years, Christian Marclay has explored the fusion of fine art and audio cultures, transforming sounds and music into a visible, physical form through performance, collage, sculpture, installation, photography and video. His latest major work, The Clock, is a 24 hour video piece constructed from films where the time is expressed has been declared 'a masterpiece' (Frieze Magazine).
Raised in Switzerland, Marclay has spent most of his adult life in America, but now lives in mostly in London and New York. He began performing with turntables whilst still a student in the late 70s - According to critic Thom Jurek, Marclay was the 'unwitting inventor of turntablism' and has since been active in the field of free improvisation, performing with the world's best improvisors including Evan Parker, John Zorn, Otomo Yoshihide and many many more. Marclay's graphic scores, which take musical motifs from everyday objects, signs and advertising was recently celebrated with a three month festival at the Whitney in New York during July-September 2010.
“Christian Marclay can make music out of almost anything.” – WNYC
