| Title | Chimie Moderne |
| Artist / Creator | Alexis Arnold |
| Place of Publication | San Francisco, CA |
| Publication Date | 2013 |
| Medium / Materials | Borax crystals are grown directly on books, which are sculpted and manipulated in the process. |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 10 x 9 x 7.5 inches |
| Edition Size | Unique work within a series of crystallized books |
| Signed & Numbered | No |
Chimie Moderne by Alexis Arnold -SOLD!
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Part of a series of crystallized books and magazines, this particular title was selected for its conceptual ties and aesthetic cover. The books in the series, all frozen with heavy crystal growth, have become artifacts or geologic specimens injected with the history of time, use, and nostalgia.
An original copy of the 1867 book with the full title of Lecon Elementaires de Chimie Moderne by Charles-Adolphe Wurtz, a French chemist known for his ideas on the structures of chemical compounds, has itself been restructured into a new sculptural, crystalline form.
Please note that these books tend to "mature" somewhat: over time the crystals become more opaque. The photos you see here may not match the book over time. Also, the crystals do shed in small amounts as handled. The rate of change can be slowed in a controlled environment free from direct sunlight and high heat and humidity.
Artist Bio
Alexis Arnold is a sculptor and installation artist living in San Francisco. Her artwork explores the visual manifestations of time and memory upon objects. Alexis incorporates a range of materials, from casting mediums to found objects, and catalyzes natural processes, such as crystal growth or oxidation, to inject the objects with a visual history. Alexis received her MFA in Sculpture from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2010, as well as a BA in Studio Art from Kenyon College in 2005. Her work has been exhibited throughout the Bay Area and nationally, including The New York Hall of Science, Southern Exposure, Root Division, Brooklyn Artists Gym, Gallery Hijinks, Alter Space, The Crucible, and through the San Francisco Arts Commission Art in Storefronts Project. Alexis’ work has received review in Art Practical, The Wall Street Journal, OGlobo.com, Redefine Magazine, ArtSlant.com, Beautiful/Decay, The SF Examiner, SF Gate, and KQED’s Gallery Crawl Series. In addition to her own studio practice, Alexis works as a curator and youth and adult art educator.