Alex Appella
Córdoba, Argentina

The János Book

$1400

Artist Statement

My Hungarian grandparents emigrated from Transylvania to California in 1923. They passed away before I was born, but left a legacy of questions that began to surface in our home in the 1980s. By then, the only remaining family member who could answer those questions was János (pronounced Ya-noash), my grandfather’s youngest brother, who had emigrated from Transylvania to Argentina in 1949. The questions were innocent enough. My mother always believed she had only two uncles—János and Imre. But then a photo of four young men was found among my grandfather’s things. Three faces were familiar. Who was the fourth man?

In 1994 I traveled to Argentina to meet János, to ask the questions. The answers—the secrets—revealed our identity, and revealed the pain of lying, even to protect those you love. The János Book not only encompasses a family’s history, it reveals the man who, at the age of 90, decided to tell it. The reader is taken on a journey from Oregon to Argentina, to Transylvania, and beyond. Original letters, photographs and paintings entwine János’ testimony with my poetry to reveal a family’s identity whispered away 70 years ago. 12 years in the making, The János Book tells a novel’s sized story in 29 wide format, digitally produced collages of text and images. Numbered edition of 50.

About this Book

Boards in black cloth with Japanese stab binding. Cut out on front board to reveal the face of one brother. Housed in a blackcloth clamshell box. Printed on 120 gram Bakri Avorio Paper using an Epson Inkjet printer and Epson Durabright Inks. Research, writing, design, printing, and binding by Alex Appella. 8.5 x 25 inches; 35 pages printed on one side. Includes 29 full color collages. 2006. Edition of 50.

Artist Biography

Alex Appella (born in Oregon) began bookbinding as a way to share her writing and collage art while traveling. What began as a temporary solution within a nomadic lifestyle has turned into a way of life. Alex now writes and binds from her home in Córdoba, Argentina. Alex’s self-published artists’ books can be found in numerous private and public collections throughout the US and beyond.

All images and text copyright the artist. All rights reserved.