Turkey
Melike Taşcıoğlu Vaughan
Altered Book:
Hayata Dönüş (Return to Life), A. J. Cronin (1962)
Original cover removed and re-bound with Vibalin Natural bookbinding paper. Gouache paint and foil blocking.
Artist Statement
“Hayata Dönüş” meaning Return to Life, was the book that called for a rebirth. A book that was sitting in a box in a corner of my studio for more than fifteen years was repurposed to create a deeper meaning than the text itself. Life, the deeper meaning of life, is more than words, more than a title, more than the text. We tend to put everything in words, but the silence or other ways of larger communication is sometimes more appropriate. The symbol used on the cover is one of the set of symbols used in a previous nature/garden project. It has the power to contain many words, ideas, and discussions. It stands for more than god, mother nature, nurture, abundance, and care. It is returning to real life, the essence, the colorful, and the beyond-words magic.
Short Bio
Melike Taşcıoğlu Vaughan is a book designer, academic, and artist. Vaughan’s print works have often been exhibited solo and in national and international juried exhibitions. She has written two books, one on book design and one on environmental graphic design, and published many articles on the topic of graphic design. She has also self-published a few of her own artist’s books. In addition to her book designing, she works as a Professor at Anadolu University.