Please join us for a special Saturday afternoon opening at the Fisher Library!
On display will be The Elements (Knowledge of Life), a unique 144-page artist’s book by Canadian artist Christine Davis that unfolds across disciplines, geographies, and histories.
The Elements (Knowledge of Life) deploys an original 1847 edition of Euclid’s foundational geometric treatise by the mathematician Oliver Byrne. This unique and visually rich version of the work utilizes color to explain mathematical and geometric concepts. A technical innovation of its time, Davis places the revolutionary impact of the printing press in dialogue with today’s algorithmic transformation of knowledge.
Constructed in a concertina format, the book unfolds into multiple configurations, transforming the geometry of Euclid’s propositions into a living, visual language. Rather than illustrating Euclidean principles, the work reimagines them through collage, layering fragments of image, text, and material into shifting rhythms and narratives.
Installed like an extended chromosome, the 90 ft. artist’s book will be on view in its entirety within the library's main seminar room.
The special opening will also give visitors a chance to view the library's current exhibition, 70 Rare Books, Special Collections, Archives.
We will be open from 1-4pm.