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a smile at arm's length

digital emissions & selfie

obsessions in the landscape of 2016

poems - gregory day

etchings - jiri tibor novak

preface - a. frances johnson

design & bookbinding - sian marlow

A fine artist book in a limited edition of 12, consisting

of 9 etchings and 12 poetic texts exploring the textures

of contemporary narcissism, with particular focus on

how recent technological forms inherit a classical and

mythological lineage.

Through the acerbic intricacy of Jiri Tibor Novak’s

masterful etchings, and the lyrical ironies of esteemed

Australian writer Gregory Day,  ‘a smile at arm’s

length’ surveys the continuities and disjunctures

between the Narcissus figure of classical mythology,

the blown-hand stencils of aboriginal Australia, and the

follies and pleasures of 21st century digital obsessions

with the self-reflected image.

Exposed spine binding, half clamshell box. Set in

Garamond & printed on Zerkall Smooth 145gsm.