Façades for Mark Rothko

Text by Crispin Elsted

Designed by Tara Bryan

Facades for Mark Rothko is a poem in eleven parts by Crispin Elsted, printed with a ‘Note About the Poem’ by the poet.  The densely layered poem creates a transit between the Rothko paintings in the Tate Modern and Elsted’s experiences in the outside world–a stile between fields, as he states in his notes.

The text is hand-set in Van Dijck monotype cast by Michael and Winifred Bixler and printed on Zerkall Book Laid. Jerry Kelly penned the calligraphic title; Brian Roberts executed the covers and casing-in. Book design, letterpress printing, and stitching were completed by Tara Bryan, a proprietor of walking bird press. A recording of Crispin Elsted reading this and other poems comes with the book as a digital download.  A CD s also being produced.  The edition is 120 copies, available for CAD$325 plus postage, and any applicable taxes.