A Supposed Direction of Gravity
Jay Fox, Fort Smith, Arkansas
2024. Edition of 10.
The artist’s book A Supposed Direction of Gravity was created by residency artist Jay Fox. The artwork analyzes and questions the authority and intent of another text, Natural History, General and Particular (Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière), Count De Buffon, Volume I, 1781 (574 B929hEs). During Mr. Fox’s research in the Special and Area Studies collections during Fall 2023, he discovered this book and was struck by the author’s perspective that provides support to many theories of natural history that were prevalent at the time of writing, but also discredits evidence-based facts. As an historical object that has been handled by people over time, a blend of intention and negligence have captured the shape, textures, and weight of bookmarks, pressed flowers, folded pages and other physical interactions with the book, all of which are legible should one stop and notice. These indentations serve to frame and interrupt the fantastic claims of the author and become evidence of use that relate the quiet truths of the book’s utility and the physical world.
Mr. Fox puts his attention to the physical markers, allowing them to take precedence over the theories. The text of Natural History is then interpreted as poetry and becomes another type of world-making device. A Supposed Direction of Gravity includes a slim book to be used as a tool for citation that is paired with the main text to decode and provide meaning to Buffon’s text. This companion book, or tool, is shaped to the border of the main book and actively works to contain and reason with the original text while experimenting with styles, notation, and shorthand for the developed narrative. The covers of the book are made of steel plates embossed with the title and covered in blue book cloth which is gently sanded to expose the letters beneath. This, too, speaks to the nature of utility found in objects and in the physical world.
The artists book A Supposed Direction of Gravity and the reference text Natural History, General and Particular are part of the Special and Area Studies Collections in the University of Florida Libraries.
The artist book was printed and bound by Jay Fox during the 2023-2024 Marjorie S. Coffey Residency in Book Arts at the University of Florida. Exploration and research occurred in the special collections at the George A. Smathers Libraries in the Fall of 2023. Printing and construction of the book was completed at the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith in the Book Arts Studio.
Watch a video flip-through of the featured artists book A Supposed Direction of Gravity.
