matrix journal (1 Viewer)

jordan

jordan

lothario speedwagon
anyone read/collect this? overpriced self-indulgent wankery or beautiful celebration of the letterpress?

i finally put up and bought an issue, and man is it great... the problem is that there are 27 of the fuckers (soon to be 28), and so it's nearly impossible to assemble a full run... and the one looks awfully lonely on my shelf.
 
jordan said:
anyone read/collect this? overpriced self-indulgent wankery or beautiful celebration of the letterpress?
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I asked myself the same thing about X-Ray a while back and decided it was overpriced self-indulgent wankery. ;)

I sold a bunch of X-Ray issues for about a tenth of what they would bring now (I think I sold one to Bill!) but I don't care. They remind me of the Webb books. Look, but don't touch!

Letterpress is always on the verge of being too precious. That's why I like GPP. Those beautiful letterpressed broadsides go out into the world to suffer abuse and actual reading by people. As it should be.
 
Oh man, but just whiff those bindings!

But seriously! I agree. I spent a pretty penny on Crucifix, but I don't want something I can't read. Its going to be mine forever, so whatever happens to it from here on out is fine. Don't plan on selling it.
 
I've been reading the edition of Matrix that I just bought... just reading it carefully, that's all. I read "Order and Chaos Chez Hans Reichel" (another Loujon book) cover-to-cover as well. I can't stand having a book you can't read, but to me that means: read the nice books.
 
jordan said:
I read "Order and Chaos Chez Hans Reichel" (another Loujon book) cover-to-cover as well. I can't stand having a book you can't read, but to me that means: read the nice books.
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I was very nervous reading that one, it was like handling a newborn. but, like you, I read it. books are meant to be read.
 
mjp said:
I asked myself the same thing about X-Ray a while back and decided it was overpriced self-indulgent wankery. ;)

I sold a bunch of X-Ray issues for about a tenth of what they would bring now (I think I sold one to Bill!) but I don't care. They remind me of the Webb books. Look, but don't touch!

Letterpress is always on the verge of being too precious. That's why I like GPP. Those beautiful letterpressed broadsides go out into the world to suffer abuse and actual reading by people. As it should be.
Click to expand...

MJP- have you seen Matrix? It never crucified itself on the hollywood sign, but it's pretty awesome, still.
 
I have to admit that I have not seen it recently. It's been around for a while, yeah? I may be thinking of a different Matrix...the one I'm thinking of is out of Montreal, but I'm pretty sure it's been around for more than 28 issues. And I don't recall it being letterpressed...
 
This one is published by Whittington Press in England... it's an annual issue, dating back to 1980... "A Journal for Printers and Bibliophiles" is the tagline. I think one of the Pasadena bookstores has a copy, and it's worth checking out, although you don't strike me as the type who will plonk down hundreds of dollars for a copy.
 
Ah, okay. I read about that on the letterpress mailing list a million years ago. I gotcha. I plonk down way too much money for many things, but you're right, this may not be one of them. I would still like to see them. I'll bet there's a collection living in town somewhere. I mean, it's a big town.
 
well, when justine and i come down to LA this spring and crash at your house for the weekend, i'll bring my copy to show you.
 
mjp said:
I plonk down way too much money for many things, but you're right, this may not be one of them. I would still like to see them. I'll bet there's a collection living in town somewhere. I mean, it's a big town.
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see, this is why you should never judge someone by their artistic tastes alone... those are UGLY (in my opinion) pictures!

re: matrix and loujon and other such things... i'm way less anal about books than jordan, but i am careful. i don't really see much difference between a beautiful book and a beautiful piece of art: you treasure both, you look after both. a piece of art sits on the wall (typically), it's not carried around in your backpack (unless it IS a backpack!), or carried with you on the bus. it's the same for fine books. you do have to accept that handling them will gradually, over time, cause them some minor 'damage' but you learn to be zen about it (something i'm trying my best to teach jordan, with little success).

i think the physicality (is that the right word? it feels right) of books is why i love them so much, maybe moreso than typical art forms like paintings or prints; i like that they can be picked up, handled, touched, stroked, opened, flipped through.

also: happy thanksgiving to all the americans. i'm about to celebrate my first one tomorrow, a VEGETARIAN thanksgiving with jordan's entire family!
 
Rubyred said:
see, this is why you should never judge someone by their artistic tastes alone... those are UGLY (in my opinion) pictures!
Click to expand...
They aren't exactly my cup of tea either, but I really dig the artist's later work. Problem is, he never sold many paintings. He made hundreds, but chose not to sell most of them. So when a big, distinctive later one comes on to the market they usually sell for over five figures. We're geting those two smaller, earlier (1966) ones for --- well, for less than a copy of Write would probably go for. So basically, this is our only chance to own some of his original work without winning the lottery.

And I think those frames don't do the paintings any favors either. They are original, but I will lobby to have them replaced. ;)

Which has nothing to do with Matrix. But I'll just say Matrix again to stay on topic.
 
A copy of these copied by the tens of thousands would be perfect for a common home accessory. Of course framed around a very wide mat, but I still like the frame.

Maybe Matrix has a very broad meaning beyond what we can consciously comprehend. Sort of like those paintings and the way they make a subtle impression in your mind. Just like very good poetry.
 

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