Ehrenberg, Felipe

Generacion (Libro I/ Book I)

ISBN: 0859980073
Devon, England: Beau Geste Press, 1973. Limited First Edition. Hardcover. “The humm of the electric typewriter insists that words be written quickly. It hurries thought and demands a fast conclusion. So much for the feeling at the point of writing this…..The existence of this text is as arbitrary as the existence of the following photographs themselves. And as accidental as the chance that placed this book in your hands. That is why it is important. It took Marta and myself nearly 14 years to compile this document, this mellow image-album. It effectively portrays our growth as persons, the growth of our children, the growth of our friends, surely even the development of our society in Mexico. It can prove, if called to do so, our existence as one more generation still alive. These photographs have been treated by time…”--Felipe Ehrenberg, pg. 1. Felipe Ehrenberg (1943-2017), was a Mexican artist, editor, essayist, professor, and activist. Known for his paintings, conceptual art during the 1970s, performance art, mail art, mimeograph, and neographic techniques of which he was a pioneer. Offered today is the 1973, Spanish (with English introduction) photo-book, Generacion. A collection of black and white photos of the Ehrenberg family taken over the course of 14 years as Felipe and his wife and their children grow older in Mexico, Generacion marks not just the passage of time through photographs, but also is able to capture the joy & love, as well as the trials & tribulations that the family experienced throughout said years. Generacion follows not just the generations of the Ehrenberg family & friends, but as Ehrenberg himself says in his English introduction, it represents the fears, concerns, and experiences of a generation that “shook with that atavically familiar tremor of fear,” as the American military mobilized its forces into a “state of alert” as “the War in the Middle East” escalated–although Ehrenberg does not name this particular War, given the time the book was published one can infer that he is referencing the Yom Kippur War–highlighting the Cold War fears that those who lived through it may recall. From the collection of Richard Cupidi (b. 1945), our esteemed mate in the UK who was the manager of the fabled Unicorn Bookshop in Brighton, England founded by Bill Butler (1934-1977, the famed American-expatriate poet, bookseller & publisher). From the late 1960s through the early 1970s, Unicorn proffered & published many outstanding productions by William S. Burroughs, J.G. Ballard, et al., some of which have become the scarcest, all-but-unobtainable Beat-&-Beyond collectibles (see for example our item No.s 8217, 8366). After prevailing against censorious harassment efforts, Unicorn closed & Butler died in short order. Cupidi went on to found the Public House bookshop in Brighton, which had a long & successful run but which is also now closed, & he still resides there. We have been privileged to obtain what Cupidi has termed "The Last Hurrah," all the remaining gems of Unicorn & Public House, including this. Third Mind Books proceeds to reverently curate & incrementally present the Butler-Cupidi-Unicorn-Public House Legacy which is in our custodial hands- until it passes to yours. Softcover in dust jacket. Limited first edition, one in a series of “200 copies” as stated at copyright page. In relatively very fine condition with light wear to fine edges, and very slight discoloration due to age-toning throughout interior. Dust jacket relatively fine-very fine with moderate wear to fine edges, and mild smudging/scratching/discoloration to front and back covers. Very Fine / Fine-Very Fine. [Item #9330]

Price: $100.00 save 10% $90.00