Intertextuality

 Intertextuality is the juxtaposition of two texts which together create a new meaning that is not contained in either text when used alone.  The term was introduced by semiotician Julia Kristeva in the late 1960's.  It has much potential for use in artists books and I think it could and should be a method used by artist book makers more often.

I first used intertextuality as a means of creating meaning in an artwork I made in 1993.

The piece was a sculptural book made of calfskin vellum called In the Beginning Far off in the Dreamtime.  The form of the book is an icosahedron - a crystal shape created in nature.  This icosahedron carries excerpts from two different creation texts, In the beginning from Genesis in the bible and Far off in the Dreamtime, the story of the Rainbow Serpent.  By juxtaposing the texts, meaning and issues not contained in the individual texts were created, relating to Australian/Aboriginal cultural issues, reconciliation and belief systems.

This artwork was purchased by the State Library of Queensland in 1993 after being included in an exhibition at the State Library.  It is now held in its Artists Book Collection.  It was also included in a book by Kay Saunders Between the Covers: Revealing the State Library of Queensland's Collections, Focus Publishing NSW 2006 p. 147

Another example of intertextuality is the work of British digital artist and printmaker Phil Shaw who has used intertextuality in a series of digital prints he has been producing for over ten years called Bookshelves. When the viewer reads the titles of the books in sequence, they connect with each other and create a new text and meaning.

A recent print of his called Shelf Isolation 2020 utilises these book titles to create a new story about the pandemic.  

Image and text below Copyright Phil Shaw

The titles of the books read

The English Patient/Had/Caught/It/On the Beach/I should have stayed home/She said/Now/She was/in Quarantine/In the Dark/House of Splendid Isolation/Still/Hope Springs Eternal/With a little bit of Luck/Common Sense/And/Personal Hygiene/The Corona Book of Horror Stories/Must End Soon/Always Remember/Clean Hands Save Lives/And/When in Doubt/ Don't/Go/Out.

Phil Shaw has made a number of different Bookshelves in this series and you can read how he creates the prints and view others in the series on his website here or at the Rececca Hossack Art Gallery in London here.