The Boobus and the Bunnyduck, 1957/2007
accordion-bound facsimile of the 1957 artist book
32 panels, each 13 3/4” x 10 1/2”
Edition of 100
The Boobus and the Bunnyduck is a full-scale, full-color facsimile of the original and unique artist book made by Jess in 1957. The only difference is in the format. Whereas the original was spiral-bound, the facsimile is bound as an accordion-fold. This enables viewers to open the cover and turn pages as in a conventionally bound book, but it also allows the book to be displayed on a table, shelf, or in a vitrine, spread out flat or standing up zig-zag, so that all pages can be seen at once.
Image from the bookThere are thirty-two panels, twenty-eight for the book proper plus the endpapers, front and back, that are continuous over two panels. The panels measure 13.75 inches high by 10.5 inches wide, so that the book stretches out to 28 feet. The covers are purple cloth over boards with recessed areas for the front and back cover images. On the front Jess wrote out the title, the names of author and artist, with an illustration. On the back he drew vertical bands of color, those used in the book. The formatting and matching of colors were done by Blake Riley for printing with an Epson 4000 inkjet printer on Moab Entrada paper. The backing paper is mauve-white duplex Bugra. The book is enclosed in a box. The edition is limited to 100 numbered copies for sale and 26 lettered copies for complimentary distribution.