Ben DiNino

I'm constantly on the lookout for visually interesting texts to excavate. I work slowly from the back of the book picking out images to keep. I use bookbinding adhesive to affix acid free card stock to the back of the selected image, then remove the unwanted part of the page with x-acto knives. The end product is a collage of images and/or text which I assist in revealing that was ever-present inside the book. Once excavated, I seal the text block shut so that only the book cover opens. This creates an easy way of displaying the work as well as the added convenience of shelving the book with the rest of your library for easy storage. I’ve created over 100 of these excavated books and below are a few of my favorites.