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Peter Kingston. Sydney,
Australia: Higginbothams Press, 2007. $5,000
Artist’s book, one of 6 copies only, each hand
numbered and signed by the author / artist,
Peter Kingston, all prints on Japanese Iwaki
Mulberry Paper which are mounted on French RBK
Rives paper. Page size: 13-7/8 x 14 inches;
28pp; including title page and colophon. Bound:
loose as issued in original wrappers made of
Japanese woodblock-printed paper in two shades
of blue on white ground, housed in artist-made
pine box with original linoleum print of the
title page on the lid of the box. Each of the 28
pages is an original linoleum cut, printed in
color by Peter Kingston who has signed and
numbered each print. The text is part of the
lino cut. Each lino cut is mounted on the Rives
paper. The text begins, “This is the story of a
pilgrimage to South India to ride on the
legendary Nilgiri Mountain Steam Railway to
witness how its survived for over a century in a
progress mad world.” And, with that sentence, we
are swept away with Mr. Kingston’s fabulous
images, in a palette of lime green and pink,
mauve and blue, Van Gogh yellow and bottle green
- night blacks and blues - all bringing a sense
of luxurious immediacy to the reader / viewer.
By the time the train reaches Runnymede Station
(page 16) and a “mob of monkeys invaded our
carriage,” we are treated to a lino cut of
monkeys and passengers in the small wooden
coach. The reader is as astonished as the
passengers and monkeys! There are many images of
locomotives, front and side views, with puffs of
steam. A herd of elephants awaits the travelers
and the reader at the next stop - resulting in a
wonderful image of an elephant on the train
tracks next to the small blue wood train. The
Pondicherry Station Master’s poster, “Be Alert /
Am I Smart” produces another stunning image. It
is followed by a small, smiling blue locomotive
with the text, “Time is an artist and as long as
people continue to seek out the romantic, the
wee train will continue to enchant generations
of travellers.” Peter Kingston, well-known
Australian artist, has created a most beautiful
book. He takes us on a remarkable journey,
sweeping us up in his text and stunning lino
cuts, seducing us with color and wit. This is a
journey full of romance and humor, an
appreciation of a vanishing world, that we can
all take with Mr. Kingston and we are the better
for it. Every detail of the book - from the
paper to the pine box, from the colors of the
lino cuts to the composition of the cuts
themselves - serves the artist’s concept as
stated in the opening lines. Take this journey -
it is a splendid one! |
