DROP DEAD GORGEOUS

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS, an exhibition of fine bindings of La Prose du Transsibérien Re-creation, will be shown at Maggs Bros. Ltd. Rare Books and Manuscripts in London from 4 to 25 October 2021.

Twenty-five binders from the US, Canada and the UK were commissioned to bind a copy of this facsimile of the 1913 La Prose du Transsibérien by Sonia Delaunay and Blaise Cendrars, published in 2018 by Two Hands Press.

The exhibit was curated by Kitty Maryatt; Simon Eccles and Toby Schwartzburg are the Co-Curators. It commenced in 2019 in San Francisco, travelled to Los Angeles and Boston in 2020, and was shown virtually at the Minnesota Centre for the Book in 2021.

The exhibit is open at Maggs Bros, 48 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DR from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm on weekdays between 4 - 25 October 2021.

You can also view the virtual MCBA exhibit here >:

The 110-page catalogue for DROP DEAD GORGEOUS, Fine Bindings for La Prose du Transsibérien Re-creation is available for £45 from Maggs Bros or from the San Francisco Centre for the Book for $50 plus tax and shipping. The catalogue includes a fold-out of the facsimile and a section on traditional French pochoir.

Coordinating Events:

1. 2 October: Zoom event with the binders of La Prose, 7:00 pm UK time, 11:00 PDT. Registration through Eventbrite >
2. 9 - 10 October: Traditional French Pochoir Workshop at St. Bride’s Library, London, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Booking via Eventbrite >
3. 11 October: Showing of the hour-long documentary by Rosy Rhee, “The Making of a Masterpiece: La Prose du Transsibérien”, at Maggs Bros. at 6:00 pm. Interviews with scholars, booksellers, collectors, and underwriters of the project, and demonstrations of traditional French pochoir technique. Reservations required: ben@maggs.com.
4. 25 October: Special visit to the Victoria & Albert Museum at 1:00 pm to view an original copy of the 1913 La Prose du Transsibérien, Blaise Cendrars’ La Fin du Monde, and Sonia Delaunay’s 1925 portfolio Ses Peintures, Ses Objets, Ses Tissues Simultanés, Ses Modes. Reservations required: twohandspress@gmail.com.