Always One Button Short: The Buttons of Edward Gorey.
Hardcover Book.
A master of the mysterious, Edward Gorey's artworks and writings abound
with misadventures, oddities, and oblique humor. His forays into
experimental theater follow suit, and to much delight, he designed
pin-back buttons to accompany them. Now coveted by collectors, these
bespoke buttons-created as souvenirs for the plays, puppet shows,
revues, and other "entertainments" that Gorey wrote, designed, or
directed-possess a curiosity factor disproportionate to their small
size. Flapping Ankles, Inverted Commas, or Tinned Lettuce?
Such buttons and the shows they were based on offer send-ups of staid
conventions (idiosyncratic napkin folding, anyone?) or make cryptic
suggestions to "Embrace Etceterism."
But he didn't stop there-in
his trademark style Gorey both lauded and gently spoofed his beloved New
York City Ballet, and even dabbled in a bit of political commentary.
With each button Gorey fashioned, he put the wearer at the center of a
memory, a recollection of a particular place and time.
Buttons
(Gorey's especially, with their enigmatic designs) necessitate some form
of personal connection-perhaps a laugh or a discussion, but at least an
offering from one person to another. Gorey made his buttons as a
reminder that one had "been there," had made that connection, and would
carry that moment with them-literally and figuratively.
Always One Button Short
showcases a selection of Gorey's compact creations, researched and
photographed by noted Gorey collector Jonas Ploeger. Kevin McDermott,
longtime Gorey collaborator and author of Elephant House; or, The Home of Edward Gorey (Pomegranate), introduces the collection with a personal essay, recalling the history and meaning of his own Gorey button.
