Information is the raw material of today. Ideas put in print have a tangible permanence; a strong history and stability for the future, yet we continue to replace the physical book with fleeting formats that are subject to questionable priorities of tech companies and a consistent flow of electricity to remain accessible. In my current work, I ask what erasure and loss could look like through the lens of printed matter. Reference books have become almost extinct in less than one generation and we are at a pivotal moment in the way we record and distribute information. Information is now constantly refreshing and recording over itself –often leaving only traces of fragmented facts and past proclamations. This malleability has been exploited and our agreed truths have been uprooted by intentional distortions, erasures, and manipulations. My work attempts to illustrate these issues and raise questions about the future of the book.
—BRIAN DETTMER
