藝術家書籍《鳥落地後 After a bird fell down》

作品介紹

一隻死掉的鳥落到地面後開始腐化，肚子裡的種子因此得以發芽的故事。
一個關於生命的出口也可能是入口的生死小書。
一本繪本，一本藝術家書。

It’s a story about seeds germinating after a bird died and fell down onto the ground.
It’s a book about the end but also the beginning of life.
It’s a picture book and also an artist’s book.

以「書」作為創作媒材

《鳥落地後》從繪本及藝術家書籍（artist’s book）的觀點出發，著眼於書籍自身的構成特性及邏輯型態，結合洞洞書與立體書的設計，將「書頁體積」拉進敘事的一環。

但體積可以如何說故事呢？這本書將一層層內頁挖空而堆積出一個「洞」，並透過置入實體化的故事元素於洞中，使書本也可以作為一種「容器」的概念彰顯而出，進而使讀者意識到書頁的體積感。

在翻頁過程中，內頁上的挖洞越來越大，一株小苗也隨著書頁體積的減少，而越長越高⋯⋯以此一增一減的變化，直接體現短短的劇情，以及背後的核心概念：「生命是一體兩面的」，同時也希望讀者直接感受到：「時間流逝帶來的改變，不只是減少及消逝，也會有增長與新生。」

設計形式概念

在書籍設計的部分，首先，尺寸上設定為「可以用雙手捧著」的A6大小，搭配將近3公分的厚度。當用手捧著書時，整本書就像是一隻鳥屍體的體積，更強化隨著翻頁、屍體慢慢消逝的效果。

顏色上則刻意保持整本書的潔白空曠，以此彰顯「時光」的感受。同時封面上除了一個打凹的矩形之外、沒有任何文字，裡面貼上一張綠色羽毛的透明貼紙，就像是一個相框，珍藏故事中的鳥掉落的一片羽毛。

在紙張的部分，除了選擇厚卡紙作為內頁，以凸顯書頁的體積，封面則選用了一種由馬鈴薯製作的紙，擁有如細沙般的觸感，希望讀者在一拿起書時，便能先用手指感受到這個故事所發生的場景——地面。

最後，我也將版權頁視為整個故事的開場，因此當書一翻開，便會看見整片的藍天，搭配一句話：「一隻鳥掉落在地上。」讓讀者可以隨著鳥的視角立刻進入故事之中。

A dead bird is gradually decomposing, and the seeds in its belly slowly germinate at the same time.”
Except for words and pictures, how can one tell such a short story?

From the point of view of picture books and artist’s books, After a bird fell down focuses on the book’s structural characteristics and logic. By combining characteristics of hole books and pop-up books, After a bird fell down adopts “volume of book pages” into its narrative. While reading, readers would find out the hole bigger and the sprout taller page by page.

Via increase and decrease of its volume, this book want to bring out the plot and core concept: “there are two sides to life.”, and make readers realize that time passing are not simply about reduction and death. Increase and birth are also what time passing brings.

About design, I chose A6 size, which readers can put my book on both their palms, with thickness which is almost three centimeters. I attempt to make book size as big as a dead bird. While readers turn each page and make my book thinner, they can feel that the body of a bird gradually disappears at the same time.

Second, in terms of color, I make the whole book purely white as possible. I hope such kind of emptiness could make readers relate to “time,” something we cannot see but can feel. Besides, I leave no words on book cover. Instead, I deboss the cover with a rectangular pit and place a transparent sticker printed with a green feather inside. It looks like a photo frame sealing a feather, which symbolizing this book treasures the death of the bird in this story.

Third, I choose paper with sand-like texture for the cover. I hope readers can feel like touching the ground–that is, where this story happens.

Last, I decorate copyright page with blue sky and make it the very beginning of this story. So, when readers open this book, they would not only read the sentence, “A bird fell down onto the ground,” they can dive into this story from the bird’s-eye view from the sky.

Publish｜超展開策画
Design｜SUWEI 蘇維
Print｜感官文化印刷
Paper｜長瑩 Matter 白 125g、恆成 新浪厚卡 350g、白卡51T
Photo｜Mo Chien