Wednesday, November 22, 2017

The Monkey Wrench Gang Signed & Numbered Serigraph Print


Celebrating the 10th anniversary release of Edward Abbey's book The Monkey Wrench Gang, book publisher Ken Sanders released a new version of the book. The new version, released in 1985, was illustrated by Robert Crumb. In an effort to promote the book, Sanders paired Abbey and Crumb together for several book signing appearances. You can see a clip of this period on YouTube. The book proved to be Abbey's best known work and sold over a million copies. Abbey died in 1989 at the age of 62 from complications after a surgical procedure.

Crumb's original cover artwork was long gone, so the only way to reproduce the image was to scan the book cover, blow it up in Photoshop, and clean up each and every line–on both sides. I've been in this position before. It took me three weeks to restore the black line. I then color-separated it to match the book cover, with a few changes per Crumb's instruction.Wildwood Serigraphs is pleased to announce the release of our 31st Robert Crumb serigraph edition with The Monkey Wrench Gang. It's an 80 piece serigraph edition on white Rives BFK 280 gram archival paper. It took 22 colors to recreate the book cover. The paper, with two deckle edges, is 18.5" x 28". The image is 13.5" x 20". Each print comes with a certificate of authenticity written by Crumb. It also comes with our unconditional guarantee for your complete satisfaction or your money back. There are NO customized signatures in this edition. 
Release date: Monday, November 27th

$430 
BUY ME



Additional Note:
I would like to bring attention to the fact that Crumb has mastered many different genres of illustration. He's mastered the art of cartooning, the art of calligraphy, the art of caricature, the art of of realistic portraiture, the art of editorial cartooning–all with the immediate recognition of his own style. With The Monkey Wrench Gang, Crumb gives us another graphic style he's mastered: the art of pulp fiction. The graphic rendition of a dramatic, climactic scene with sweeping, bright type that lures the customer to the magazine (or, in this case, book) like fish to bait. I don't know if there's another American artist before–or if there will ever be one after–Crumb who has mastered so many different genres of illustrating. And all of this is completely separate from his ability as a writer. It's truly a privilege to work with such an exceptional and unique American artist. 
-Alex Wood