CHOPIN (Henri). - Lot 174

CHOPIN (Henri). Alphabet for skyscrapers. 1970-1985. S.l. Éditions B. Jordan, 1991. - 330 x 251 : (29 ff.), softcover. Original edition edited by Jacques Siriez de Longeville and Bernard Jordan for Editions B. Jordan. In this artist's book, Henri Chopin explores visual and sound poetry through thirteen architectural compositions, each formed by a pair of letters of the alphabet. These "typewriter poems", or dactylo-poems, combine letter geometry and sound play, accompanied by short, whimsical odes. The 26 letters of the alphabet are paired only once, except for A and O (alpha and omega), placed in conclusion. Each pair gives rise to a typographic skyscraper, where the letters, like bricks, build imaginary edifices. Chopin thus invites us to "create a Manhattan" from the curves of the letters C and S, transformed into hooks or architectural motifs. Only 27 copies were printed, including 7 hors commerce, numbered on BFK de Rives paper and signed by the author at the justification. This copy is numbered 11, and has on the first leaf this autograph dispatch signed by the author: For the playwright // and old accomplice // Jean-Loup Philippe // in very friendly // thoughts // 11.11.1991 / H. Chopin The copy has been enriched by a superb and certainly unique circular dactylo-poem signed by Chopin and specially composed for Jean-Loup Phillipe, bearing this caption: "Les mouvements de Jean-Loup Philippe en 1991 : blason de j.-l. p." Very well preserved copy.