Crafting an extensive artist catalogue as an artwork and tactile object of veneration

The book Beyond Matter offers a survey of all the photographs, drawings, installations, sculptures and videos produced by artist Levi van Veluw from 2019 to 2011. This extraordinary book is an artwork in itself. The publication contains a small sculpture placed in the cover of the book: a handmade shape from marbled clay. This clay element refers to Van Veluw’s newest art works and can be considered an essential foundation on which his work is built. Van Veluw has meticulously studied the rich formal language and power of imagination that is used to lead people to religious faith. Even if spiritually is ultimately immaterial, most people make use of sacred objects. Together with Van Veluw, Autobahn investigated whether this publication is capable of provoking a convincing spiritual experience in the reader.

Through the use of white space, symmetry and harmony—often utilised to depict the pursuit of divine perfection—in combination with a bespoke typeface, materials (both choice of paper and binding) and tactility, the book imitates a sacral experience: each book cover contains a unique handmade sculpture, the book ends at the beginning and dissevered typography makes the book larger than the book itself. Also a special edition slide-in case is made entirely by hand. White clay is mixed with a Prussian blue pigment, marbled, shaped and baked. A true object of veneration.