Sorted Books | Nina Katchadourian | The Art Assignment

TL;DR

Brooklyn-based artist Nina Katchadourian explores William S. Burroughs' personal library to create a Sorted Books project, revealing insights about the owner through book clusters.

Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] Today we're meeting with Brooklyn-based artist Nina Katchadourian. But as you can tell, this is not Brooklyn. We've met her here in Lawrence, Kansas where she's working on a new project. Nina's works address a wide range of ideas, but throughout her career, she has consistently engaged with the every day. Her series Seat Assignment ... Read More

Key Insights

• 📽️ Nina Katchadourian's Sorted Books project explores the connection between individuals and their books, providing insights into their interests and personality.
• 📽️ Examining and arranging physical books in visually appealing clusters adds a sculptural element to the Sorted Books project.
• 👻 The project allows viewers to reflect on their own book collections and the image they present to others.
• 📽️ Katchadourian's approach to the Sorted Books project involves analyzing and organizing titles to create a unique and revealing portrait.
• 💁 The Sorted Books project is part of a larger trend of artists engaging with archives and using information as ready-made material.
• 👻 Archiving and sorting books allows for a reconstruction of the past and a deeper understanding of the person behind the collection.
• 🥰 The Sorted Books project emphasizes the importance of close observation in art and the power of starting conversations through visual representations.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does the Sorted Books project allow Katchadourian to understand a person better?

The Sorted Books project offers insight into a person's interests, preferences, and personality through the physical qualities and titles of their books. It provides a unique way of getting to know someone.

Q: What is the significance of physically examining the books in the Sorted Books project?

Physically examining the books allows Katchadourian to understand their weight, size, wear and tear, font sizes, and colors. These aspects contribute to the sculptural quality of the project and enhance its visual impact.

Q: How does the Sorted Books project differ from simply listing the titles of the books?

The Sorted Books project goes beyond listing the titles by incorporating the physical manipulation and arrangement of the books. This adds a sculptural element and allows Katchadourian to create visually engaging portraits.

Q: What does Katchadourian's Sorted Books project reveal about the relationship between people and their books?

The Sorted Books project highlights the personal connection individuals have with their books and how their collections can reveal aspects of their identity. It also prompts viewers to consider their own book collections and the portrait they create.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Nina Katchadourian is granted permission to work with William S. Burroughs' books for a Sorted Books project, which involves creating book clusters to portray the owner.

• The Sorted Books project allows Katchadourian to get to know a person through their books, highlighting the physical qualities and titles as a unique portrait.

• Katchadourian's approach to the project involves physically examining every book, transcribing interesting titles onto index cards, and arranging them in visually appealing clusters.