Novelty vs. Artistic Merit
In 1984, the same year that G.P. Putnam's Sons published the Magic Windows™
series, Carol Barton began researching early examples of the tunnel or
peep show book format in the rare book library collections of Washington,
D.C. "The initial example I saw was a peep show book contained in
the Smithsonian's Dibner Library Collection," she recalls. It was
the peepshow commemorating the building of the Thames tunnel that led
to the term "tunnel book." Her efforts to promote the tunnel
book structure has resulted in many book artists, including this author,
adapting the format for their books.
"The form is deceptively simple," Barton
explains, "but to actually adapt it to create a book is a difficult
process. I don't see most historical peep shows as true books. They are
rather single-view novelty theaters. But if you look at the structure
as being composed of two accordion books along with the view through the
center, and possibly adding other elements onto the front and back covers
or encasing the tunnel within another book form, the project becomes much
more challenging and more of a true book with several readings. It is
necessary to push beyond the simple theater aspects of the form and somehow
get an audience to read the piece on several different levels. Otherwise
the format remains a simple toy.
Matthew Liddle is another book artist who was introduced
to the structure by Barton. "[She has] traced the history of the
tunnel book back to the Renaissance, so as a novelty the tunnel is not
so novel. I think I've given up on trying to draw the line between what
is or is not a book. I tend to think of forms and structures and match
them with ideas, images and text that seem to go with them. I've used
the tunnel in various ways for various reasons."
"The process of making a tunnel book is definitely
a bookmaking process" says Deborah Phillips Chodoff. "The format
and content of each page or section is dependent on the ones before and
after; sequence is extremely important, and the crafting of a tunnel book
depends on bookmaking techniques and materials." Rand Huebsch agrees,
adding "For me, the definition of a book includes the idea of narrative.
As a theater-like structure the tunnel book has a strong narrative connotation.
Therefore, to me, it qualifies as a book, not a novelty toy."
"Yes, I think tunnel books are books,"
adds Tara Bryan. "My first encounter may have been the Edward Gorey
tunnel book, The Tunnel Calamity. Very mysterious, and I never
feel like I've seen everything in it. To me the difference between book
and toy amounts to this: a Jacob's ladder made of blocks of wood joined
with ribbon is a toy; when something is added to the structure (image
and/or text) to make you think beyond the structure, it becomes a book."
Artist books should not be defined by past interpretations
of what makes a book, but by what is currently envisioned and produced
by contemporary book artists. A dazzling collection of tunnel books is
taking shape as a result of the creative efforts of a wide variety of
book artists.
So what is it that book artists are able to accomplish
with the tunnel book format that they cannot achieve with another structure,
such as a codex, for example? "I always try to use structure to enhance
the contents of my books," Bryan explains. "So, yes, I use the
tunnel structure where it seems appropriate. I used it for Down the
Rabbit Hole (1987) and it does other things than a codex. A codex
is great for linear conveyance of information. A tunnel book alerts the
reader that something else is going on here, and encourages one to be
on alert and explore. The Rabbit Hole book is pretty straightforward.
The holes are squares that spiral 30 degrees at each layer and get smaller.
The text is pasted along the edges of the holes and also gets smaller.
The tunnel ends with "Thump! Thump! The fall was over"—end
of story. But the tunnel IS a rabbit hole, and gives the viewer the physical
experience as well as the mental experience of the text and the action
described."
The book artist Matthew Liddle has created many
tunnel books and each one has employed new innovations. "In Adirondack
Tunnel (1992) I used the structure to create a little folding diorama.
The cover is bark, the tunnel is printed with show prints and the inside
is a woodsy landscape. It has something to do with the idea of land ownership,
a portable, commodifiable bit of land. In this piece the paper was cut
to let in light to the forest."
"My Gutenberg Cybergoggles (1997) poke
fun at virtual reality, contemporary layered typography, and the hype
surrounding electronic media. It is a wearable book that looks interesting
but is a bit disappointing (appropriately) when you actually try it out.
On the outside is states "Kick me I'm myopic" and on the inside
"I'm shouting but I've got nothing to say." Inside are also
layers of appropriated imagery from the history of printing and books."
"In a hanging piece called Imagraphic
(1999) I've explored the tunnel as peep show. The exterior of the tunnel
is made from junk mail window envelopes. The interior includes a fold
book ornamented with intimate imagery and packaging from products I have
consumed. It is some kind of comment on the intrusion of consumer culture
on my personal life, and an attempt to explore my feelings about voyeurism,
identity theft and the irony of my indignation as one who is involved
in producing media myself. This hanging piece is intended for gallery
display and is successful in a way that is difficult for a codex under
glass."
Laura Davidson created Tunnel Vision (2000)to record a giant construction project outside her studio window in Boston. " I chose the tunnel format for this book, because I found it to be [a] perfect way to show a view of something in a 3-dimensional way. If I had chosen a conventional format, it would not have captured the visual depth I was after."
For
A Maze-In Mystery (1992) Maryline Poole Adams "...used the fact
that one could ‘bend' the tunnel so more scenes or clues could be
discovered around corners — to help solve the mystery. I wanted a
true 3-dimensional perspective for livelier ambiance."
For Jardin de Guadalupe (1994) Lois Morrison
has two peepholes on the cover to reflect the two paths that lead to the
shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Each opening presents
a different view to the same destination. In another innovative touch,Morrison
has created hinges that serve more than just a utilitarian function; they
arean inseparable part of the intricately cut garden setting.
It may seem that the codex and tunnel book formats
are at opposite ends of the spectrum, but it is not an either/or situation.
They work very well together, and Return to Paris (2000), 
designed
by Pat Baldwin with text by William Markiewicz and artwork by Diane Weintraub,
illustrates this point. When you open the book there is a 9-panel expanding
view of Paris attached to the left cover and a 44-page codex binding attached
to the right. This stylish presentation earned a Distinguished Book Award
from the Miniature Book Society in 2001.
The tunnel/codex combination is not the only possibility.
In The Gadarine Swine (1993) Lois Morrison pairs the tunnel format
(a retelling of a New Testament story) with a concertina format (where
present-day Gadarine swine take a world tour).
These are just samples of the variety of approaches that use the tunnel
book structure as a means of storing and sharing information. The codex
has been around for a long time and has proved to be a serviceable format.
But sometimes a tunnel view best serves the artist's needs.