January 4, 2026
Reference Books Are Carved and Cut Into Sculptures That Transform Knowledge Into Art
Artist Brian Dettmer transforms printed texts into awe-inspiring sculptures. Crafted through carving, Dettmer dives into existing books, often encyclopedias, atlases, or reference volumes, using knives and surgical tools. He does not add or rearrange content; instead, he removes material to expose images, diagrams, and fragments of text embedded within the pages. The resulting works resemble topographic reliefs or cross-sections of knowledge, where layers of information are uncovered through precise cuts.
