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ELLIE BROwN
native of Boston, Usa. Lives and works in Ulsan, south korea
 www.elliebrown.com
artist contact
 ellie@elliebrown.com
ArTIsT HArdCOVer BOOKs
Lover’s Books
The year I turned 30 was a year of deep introspection. I spent
many hours contemplating the experiences that shaped me
as an adult woman. One of the major factors in the shaping
of my personality has been the men I have had as lovers
and / or boyfriends. They have taught me many things about
myself and about how I relate to others. The Lover’s Books
project was started in homage to each of the men I have
slept with. Each man has a book and then a digital print of the
book in his name. The books are based on my impressions,
memories and experiences with each man, regardless of
whether the experience was positive or negative. I have
contacted the men I’m still in touch with to share my altered
book version of our affair. In my e-mail, I explain that the
book is an earnest evaluation of my memories and not in
any way meant to degrade, attack or humiliate them. Many
of my e-mails with the man’s book image have gone ignored.
Most of the responses I’ve received have been positive with
the men feeling mostly flattered. Only one response to the
project has been negative. In this, the man told me he did
not care to read the book.

My previous bookwork has typically have been a reflection
on the books’ cover and my political, visceral or instinctual
reaction to it. I have made these books to recontextualize the
meaning of the book and create my own in its place. They
are typically displayed on a shelf so that the viewer can open
them. The pages of the book are glued together and only one
altered page is viewable. In representations of the work, the
left side represents the cover and the right side represents
the only viewable inside of the book. To remove the meaning
of the book cover and collage one step further, I’ve begun to
make Archival Epson Prints of the books as they appear in
the slides. The digital prints maintain the thee-dimensional
quality of the books with all rips, cut windows, ribbons and
other textures showing in great detail. The prints remove
the option of the viewer touching the piece but instead allow
a new visual dialogue between the cover and the collage. I
will continue to present the work both as altered books and
prints either together or separate.

Hardcover books are approx. 6x8” and soft cover books are
approx. 4x5”. The print sizes range from 13x19 to 30x40 and
can be shown independently or in companion with the altered
books. The titles of the pieces are the titles of the books.