Jess: To and from the Printed Page

Jess: To and From the Printed Page focuses on the artist simply known as Jess (1923-2004), and celebrates his lively and lifelong dialogue with poets, poetry and printed matter. Published to accompany the iCI touring exhibition, it features collages made for publication, the books and magazines in which they were reproduced, as well as many previously unreproduced paintings, drawings and assemblages. The book offers a fresh perspective on Jess’s work by specifically addressing the interrelation between his art and the California literary culture of which he was a part. It also explores the intimacy of the collaborations and conversations in which he participated over five decades, and points to his effect on younger artists today–through his use of pop materials in collage and paint, his early homoerotic themes and his enjoyment of the book format as a compositional vehicle.