Dieter Roth: In Print: Artists' Books, Kunstlerbucher

Unique Editions collects a group of key artist's books and editions by the German-born, sometimes-Swiss, sometimes-Icelandic cult artist, Dieter Roth (1930 -1998). All of the books, graphic and multiple editions gathered here are one-of-a-kind works of art, for Roth eschewed traditional artistic procedures. (He regularly made use of non-art mediums such as chocolate, cheese, sausage and banana to create unique, fugitive works.) What distinguishes this publication is that at least two examples of each edition are shown together, demonstrating Roth's exploration of difference within structures of sameness. The majority of the works collected here were made by the artist in his studio, and they clarify the ways in which his hands-on, do-it-yourself approach challenged conventional genres. Roth influenced many artists over the last four decades of his life, inlcuding Martin Kippenberger and Jason Rhoades. These books and editions are arguably his most significant contributions to art history.