Robert The
Encyclopedia
Robert The is a New York
artist known for his Gun Books and other sculptures made primarily of books.
, the Museum of Contemporary Art
in Los Angeles
, and the Walker Art Center
in Minneapolis.
According to the Chicago Reader, The "owns up to [the book guns'] sensational aspect", and says he "still gets complaints", the majority (in The's words) "from leftists".
GreenMuze writes that "Bookguns by American artist Robert The, are used books that are artfully cut into gun-like shapes. Each book is carefully selected to create a play-on-words or add an ironic dimension to his recycled artwork." Book titles include Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, McLuhan's The Medium is the Massage
and the Bible
.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
artist known for his Gun Books and other sculptures made primarily of books.
Career
The's work has been exhibited in notable museums in the US and internationally. According to the Chicago Reader, "The is reluctant to betray his trade secrets, saying only that he uses a power saw. Paper is harder to cut than wood', he says". Each year "he cranks out hundreds of pieces--every one is different". The's book guns have been collected, writes the Chicago Reader, in the Museum of Modern ArtMuseum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
, the Museum of Contemporary Art
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles is a contemporary art museum with three locations in greater Los Angeles, California. The main branch is located on Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, near Walt Disney Concert Hall...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and the Walker Art Center
Walker Art Center
The Walker Art Center is a contemporary art center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Walker is considered one of the nation's "big five" museums for modern art along with the Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Hirshhorn...
in Minneapolis.
Reception
The New York Times, discussing the future of physical books, wrote that "creative uses for books that do not involve engaging with words on a page already abound", and instances The's books cut "into gun shapes".According to the Chicago Reader, The "owns up to [the book guns'] sensational aspect", and says he "still gets complaints", the majority (in The's words) "from leftists".
GreenMuze writes that "Bookguns by American artist Robert The, are used books that are artfully cut into gun-like shapes. Each book is carefully selected to create a play-on-words or add an ironic dimension to his recycled artwork." Book titles include Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, McLuhan's The Medium is the Massage
The Medium is the Massage
The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects is a book co-created by media analyst Marshall McLuhan and graphic designer Quentin Fiore, and coordinated by Jerome Agel...
and the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
.