A coloring book, Tarzan kleurboek, employed by Carrión as a guest book in which over 100 friends, acquaintances, and collaborators each colored a page (ca. 180 are hand-illustrated) in their distinct and visually striking ways

[96] leaves, interfoliated leaves with manuscript notes identifying virtually all the participants. Folio (ca. 320 x 240 mm.), orig. color-printed covers, orig. black cloth tape over spine (small split to tail of spine). [Amsterdam: ca. 1973-84].


One of the most compelling books we have handled, and a truly remarkable discovery: Ulises Carrión's own guest book, a re-appropriated Tarzan children's coloring book. Throughout all the rapidly proliferating literature on the artist and his circle, we have not seen any mention of this precious book. Several of Carrión's friends have confirmed that he asked visitors to his home in Amsterdam to color pages during their stay. Dates written on some pages range from 1973 to 1984. Based on the achronological order of the dated colored pages, it seems these artists and poets could select whichever page they wanted for their interventions, be it with crayons or pen. Many have added short messages, jokes, speech bubbles and dialogue, their signatures, etc.


A separate handwritten list on two folded sheets of blue paper, mostly in Carrión's hand, is laid-in and identifies nearly all of the ca. 180 contributions (some guests colored pages on multiple visits). The list is crucial because, in some cases, the illustrators have not signed their contributions to the coloring book. A later annotator, probably Guy Schraenen, has apparently examined the volume with great care and renumbered a handful of entries. He is also responsible for the handwritten identifications on the interfoliated leaves throughout the whole book. Carrión's list is an invaluable key to a unique book that he must have held as one of his most cherished possessions.


The almost 180 interventions, by numerous figures active in mail and stamp art, as well as by Carrión and his partner, Aart van Barneveld (1951-90), present an intimate and captivating record of the friends and artists travelling to Amsterdam for its vibrant scene of artist-run spaces, such as In-Out Center and Other Books and So. Visitors came from across Europe, South America, the United States, Mexico, etc. Carrión was a central figure in this hotbed of international creative activity, clearly shown by the vast range of names found herein:

Felipe Ehrenberg, Raul Marroquin, Martha Hellión, Marjo Schumans, Sef Peeters, Henryk Gajewski, Thomas Gravemaker, Felix Partz, Bill Gaglione, Michel Cardena, Paulo Bruscky, Judith Hoffberg, David Zacks, Aart van Barneveld, Tania Erlij, Balint Szombathy, Image Bank, Michael Druks, AA Bronson, Michael Erlhoff, Uta Erlhoff, Sas Colby, Anna Banana, Ginny Lloyd, G. J. de Rook, Juan Agius, Sylvia van Berkel, Hrein Fridfinsson, Guy Schraenen, Jan van Raay, Robin Crozier, Flavio Pons, Jorge Zontal, Ivald Granato, Jamie Turrent, Michael Gibbs, Pieter Laurens Mol, Harrie de Kroon, Rod Summers, Claudio Goulart, etc., etc.
An enchanting artifact, chronicling the perpetual stream of Carrión's friends and acquaintances visiting Amsterdam. Several leaves and one gathering are sprung, and the bookblock no longer adheres to the spine; nonetheless, the coloring book remains complete.


From the collection of Guy Schraenen (1941-2018), friend and creative partner to Carrión and the foremost chronicler of Carrión's life and works through the exhibitions "We have won! Haven't we?" (1992) and Dear reader. Don't read. (2016).