House Marks

2020

Marking one’s house dates back to a time before writing was public knowledge, around the late middle ages.  It was and is a means of identifying ownership.  Not only one’s house was marked but also the things belonging to it, like wagons or carts.  As time went on these marks gradually signified the family or clan.  When one clan member left the house, he took the mark with him, adding one small element to it to make it his own.

This artist book recalls the markings of these times.  The book structure chosen is one of Hedi Kyle’s called Interlocking Loops and is perfect for displaying these marks.  Using a soldering iron, I burned the marks into woodchips, then mounted them into the book.  9.5×22.5×1.5cm closed.