Book of Borders: There is Struggle on Both Sides of the Line (Spread 1)

Catarina Coelho likes to work from “humble to large, small to universal.” The words in this book are simple terms with potential to signal broad meaning. “Border,” “contrast,” and “harmony” might refer to book production or art theory, as much as current events, emotions, and relationships. The apparently basic materials of the book likewise conjure layers of meaning. The woodcuts (the oldest printed book technique) are roughhewn with tools intended for all manner of printing: wood-carving, etching, engraving, or carpentry. Folds in the paper create borders, transitions, and barriers from one page to another. Markers highlight ridges, like contour lines on a map or lines of attack; red ribbons act as margins, dividers, and punctuation among other possibilities.