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About Ottobooks:
Otto has been self-publishing artists' books since 1995.
He also illustrates for international newspapers and magazines, specialising in political and economic subjects.
Accordingly, his books are illustration-based, the visual narratives dealing with social and political issues in the tradition of Constructivist Designers of the early 20th Century.
He regularly exhibits at book fairs, and his books are sold in Artists' book shops. (including BookArtBookShop, Kaleid Editions, V&A, Whitechapel Gallery Shop, Ebert&Weber-Berlin, Edinburgh Print Makers, Spike Print Studios-Bristol)
Otto met Ben in the context of a collaborative art project. Otto decided to buy a licence from Ben for the use of 4 poems, which were the inspiration for the imagery.
About Benjamin Heathcote:
Benjamin Heathcote is a poet based in Hackney, London
He describes his writing as "The lyrical antidote to all modern nonsense."
More details
Self-publishing
For Otto, self-publishing has been the only way to distribute unconventional content, and to meet his high quality production demands. The creation of the books from conception of imagery through to the printed page is one continuous process. Printing is simply the final phase of image-making.
Text and image
In his books, Otto rejects the traditional form of accompanying text with illustrations. Instead, he treats text as part of the image to form an integrated unit, both conceptually and physically. In practice that means avoiding conventional software associated with design and text-layout.
Design
Each booklet features a different 'style' of image making: Musical Chairs is flat and pattern-based, The Stranger features grids and networks, Races relies on lines, and Work is reminiscent of early Soviet block printing. Equally, the typeface for the poetry differs in each booklet corresponding to the subject matter. The fonts for Work and Musical Chairs are designed by Otto.
Book-object
The feel and appearance of the book-object is to be in harmony with content and design. The paper has been carefully sourced, not just to meet the demands of screen printing, but also to provide for a consistent three-dimensional tactile experience. Fold-outs and wrap-arounds can be taken apart and assembled to form larger visual units, and to reveal further surprising imagery.
Content
Last but not least, the books tell stories about society and where it stands today, ravaged by the effects of half a century of rampant Capitalist dominance.
Musical Chairs:
the concept of property and the cultivation of high-premium scarcity
Races:
competition and one-upmanship as opposed to cooperation
Work:
the dogma of waged slavery
The Stranger:
the destructive effect of modern commercial practices on human relationships
Contact:
Otto Dettmer
Space Studios, 142-170 Vauxhall Street, London SE11 5RH
+44 7979 952 982
www.ottobooks.co.uk mail
Benjamin Heathcote
+44 7973 429 851
www.benjaminheathcote.com mail
Kaleid editions, Victoria Browne mail
23-25 Redchurch Street, Shoreditch, London E2 7DH
+44 7870 173 524
www.kaleideditions.com
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