Mark Pawson: image junkie, photocopier fetishist (Artist's Book Series XI)

The first of two Pawson works I acquired was MaPk nAbCoH. This dense work certainly captures Pawson's self-description of himself as an "image junkie". 

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The second work, Die-Cut Plug Wiring Diagrams Book, is much different than the first, but pulls in his "photocopier fetishist" side. The work, a collection of photocopies of the amazing DIY plug wiring diagrams that (is this still true?) that come (came?) with appliances you bought in the UK (because you had to wire the plugs yourself!). The small book is more complex than it first looks as the cover has cut outs for the plug and sprinkled through the photocopies of the plug diagrams are actual plug diagrams mounted on the pages. 

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Pawson's elaborate website has much more background on his artist's books and other artworks. You can also find a collection of his artist statements and bios:

"Mark Pawson. Born in 1964, grew up in Cheshire, lives in London and never went to Art School. Mark Pawson is an Image Junkie, Photocopier Fetishist, Print Gocco Fiend and gang leader of the Aggressive School of Cultural Workers. He's a one-man production line creating and selling a constant stream of artists books, postcards, badges, multiples, T-shirts and other essential ephemera. He has collaborated with Tatty Devine , worked with Levis Vintage Clothing and received research funding from London College of Communication. His books are in the collections of the Tate Gallery Library, London, MOMA Library, New York and Björk. The Modern Review described him as a 'Lounge Lizard of the Subculture Salon.'" (Artist's statement)

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Mark Pawson
MaPk nAbCoH (1991?)
London, Self-Published
Multiple overprinted work with a barage of images 
Cost: $3.00 | x07768 | Artist's Website

Mark Pawson
Die-Cut Plug Wiring Diagrams Book (1992)
London, Self-Published
Small printed book with plug diagram cutouts attached 
Cost: $2.50 | x48059