Under Cover (The Naked Truth)

[Milwaukee, WI], 1992. One of 10 copies, all on one-ply Strathmore, signed and numbered by the artist on the colophon page. Page size: 7-3/8 x 5-3/8 inches, 30pp; with a small book on botany bound in: 5-1/2 x 4 inches,10pp. Bound by the artist: covers are handmade French paper in pale green; front cover has a fig leaf, copied, cutout and collaged onto French handmade paper and attached at stem only. The fig leaf lifts up to reveal the title hand-written underneath. Wrappers attached with dark green grosgrain ribbon. Bookmark of dark green grosgrain ribbon with carved wooden apple (already eaten so that only core remains) at end. Hand-lettered with quotes from various texts - "Adam whilst he spake not, had paradise at will." William Langland, The Vision of Piers Plowman; "And Adam was a gardener..." Shakespeare, Henry IV; "The serpent deceived me and I ate." Genesis 3:13. Hand collaged with color copies of various paintings, cuts, postage stamps, and botany. The smaller inserted book contains eight (8) varieties of fig leaves - from the over 700 known. The originals were gathered from the Mitchell Park Conservancy in Milwaukee and reproduced herein. Fig leaves and apples and Adam and Eve - and just some of the things said about them.