Waning Gibbous Moon

Description:	Medium: Paper, board, silk, mirror; Moon photo image in the work: Thomas Bresson; Artwork photography: David HughesI have studied book arts at the Herron School of Art, Indianapolis Art Center (IAC), John C. Campbell Folk Art School, Ivy Tech, and Paper and Book Intensive. I have shown work in Indianapolis at Gallery 924, the Harrison Center, and the Indianapolis Art Center; and at the Kalamazoo Book Art Center; Gallery 117, Roswell, NM; and the 10th Annual Altered Barbie Exhibition, San Francisco. My work will appear in 500 Handmade Books Vol. 2. Awards include Best of Fiber, Bookmaking or Paper Arts and Merit Award for Experimental or Non-Traditional Materials at the IAC 74th Annual Student Show. Often the memory of a life-altering event can be evoked by an image, a sound, or a scent that immediately brings to mind where we were and what we felt when we heard the news. Waning Gibbous Moon depicts one visual detail of March 5, 2007: the rising of the moon late that night. For those far away from Baghdad, the same moon shone as did the one over al-Mutanabbi Street. It was two days past full, effaced at the upper edge.This triangular book, when folded, resembles a kite with trailing strings. When unfolded, the repetition of geometric shapes echoes Islamic architecture. An outer envelope, made from paper hand-marbled by the artist in the traditional Ottoman style, alludes to end papers used in bookbinding since the 16th century. Inside the book, each verse flanks its reversed image, as if an invisible mirror existed in the plane of the fold between them. At first glance, the mirrored text may appear confusing, like unfamiliar language. Waning Gibbous Moon reminds us that when contemplating something that seems strange, inscrutable, or foreign, we need only hold up a mirror to see a reflection of ourselves.What can I say about al-Mutanabbi Street that day?That long after nightfallthe moon began to rise?It is two days past full moon.The waning gibbous lookseffaced at its upper edge,like a large, lopsided egg.Clearing the horizon, the moonturns to blood, then flame,hanging low in the skyover a street in darkness.Because the moon rises late,some may miss it.But others will say, Yes,I remember the moon that night.Translation: Tania Baban-Natal
Origin:	2013
Created By:	Hosein, Barbara
Contributor(s):	Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition
Source:	http://iuidigital.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/AMSSH/id/483
Collection:	Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition Collection
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Copyright:	In Copyright
Subjects:	artists book art bookworks

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