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Alexis Arnold Turns Discarded Books Into Crystallized Sculptures

Discarded paperbacks become the site of a scientific experiment in Alexis Arnold's "Crystallized Books" sculpture series. Inspired by the ways that ebooks and websites have replaced the way many people consume information, Arnold began scavenging thrown-away books and periodicals. She grows Borax crystals on old novels, National Geographic issues, and manuals, turning the functional objects into fragile artifacts. As the crystals form, they re-shape the books' pages, forcing Arnold to relinquish control of how the final product turns out.

Discarded paperbacks become the site of a scientific experiment in Alexis Arnold’s “Crystallized Books” sculpture series. Inspired by the ways that ebooks and websites have replaced the way many people consume information, Arnold began scavenging thrown-away books and periodicals. She grows Borax crystals on old novels, National Geographic issues, and manuals, turning the functional objects into fragile artifacts. As the crystals form, they re-shape the books’ pages, forcing Arnold to relinquish control of how the final product turns out.

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San Francisco based artist Alexis Arnold has found a way to preserve her favorite old books as timeless treasures. Her crystallized book series 'freezes' books into stunning, mystical sculptures using an unlikely recipe: "I primarily use the laundry detergent, Twenty Mule Team Borax, to grow crystals on the various objects, but there are many household products that can be used to grow different types of crystals," Arnold explains. Featured here on our blog, she has said that the reaction to her work varies, but often the growth of the crystals evokes nostalgia as many of her pieces preserve works of children's fiction.

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