Fourth century Ethiopian Coptic book binding%u23AFThis esoteric art form captured Daniel Essig's attention when he worked for a professor in photography in Iowa City. He originally learned the technique through email and snail mail, which then required over two years to produce a book he was content with. Yet, several mentors pressed him to move even futher along to develop his expertise and techniques in this fine art/craft medium. Presently Essig lives in Asheville, North Carolina and teaches bookbinding across the country, which includes North Carolina's Penland School of Crafts when he has the opportunity.
Three of his primitive sculptures that feature the ancient binding are being exhibited in the Peninsula School of Art's exhibition, “The Book As Sculpture.” Two titled N'Kisi N'Konde and N'Kisi Bricolage envision primitive figures resembling bird forms. Both are carved cherry and mahogany wood, similar to reliquaries with small windows featuring bones or found objects, and in the sculptures' beaks these figures may hold a miniature book made with paper from an 1800's text. Recently one of Essig's book sculptures related to these figures, Book of Nails, was added to Washington D.C.'s Smithsonian Institution permanent collection, a noteworthy honor. While Essig takes a lunch break from a class he's teaching on Coptic Book Binding at the Peninsula School of Art, he answers a few questions about the process.
Q: Where and when did you discover Coptic Book Binding?
A: I started out through photography, and then papermaking, which lead to making books. When I was in Iowa City, I knew a professor there who introduced me to it. I then started taking classes at the Penland School of Crafts. It's one of the oldest craft schools in the country. They recently celebrated their 80th anniversary and teach 13 separate media.
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Q: What interests you about books and this form of book binding?
A: The structure of the book rather than the content always matters to me. The Coptic book binding is ancient and archival, it's been around for 2000 years. It's a versatile and flexible technique, which lets a book open flat, so it can be used for many purposes, and in the sculptures. This binding also has variations that include the centipede [which looks like a centipede or worm across the book] and the Greek bindings. These two bindings can be taught in smaller time frames, rather than within one week like this class in Door County currently is.
Q: What is the inspiration for your sculptural forms?
A: Mainly from the Kongo culture in Africa. They're a very positive and healing form, and the nails driven into them evoke the figure, whether actual sculptures or a book form. In this particular culture when there's a disagreement the people go to an elder, they discuss it, and then make a decision. When the decision is made, they pound or strike a nail into the figure, to heal the argument and signal it's final. So they're basically healing in nature, which are represented by the nails I use in other sculptures, that are usually found objects or reused.
Q: What are these figures and sculptures made from?
A: I generally use mahogany wood, even in my book covers, because it's a very stable wood, that doesn't crack or warp easily. Then I cover them with a handmade paper, cave paper, and use milk paint to stain them. Sometimes it's six or seven layers in various colors that I apply and then sand off to let the various shades show through. Often my figures and books have miniature windows in them, covered with natural mica, that contain bones or natural objects I have collected for years. These resemble reliquaries, and may even have more miniature books inside them, or around the sculpture, or in the animal's mouth, and then could be chained to the sculpture. Historically, books were chained to library shelves, and I do this to relate how precious books are. I use Irish waxed linen and steel needles to do the bindings. The sculptures, like the specific one in the show, may be titled Bricolages, a collage of ideas with what you have on hand. (To view Daniel's work, visit www.danielessig.com or in the exhibition at Fish Creek's Peninsula School of Art.)
