A Blog post for Frank Odette - "etc"

[cheryl penn]

THIS I am very privileged to receive - a complete artist's book by Frank Odette in Australia titled "etc"

This volume is drawn, collaged, handwritten and inked into a soft cover commercially bought graph book. But Frank has removed it so far from its original intent - it now exists as the journey of Coyne and Frank - the etc travels of these two. "In 1985 Coyne said goodbye to his wife and kids and left to play a beer festival in Germany. He never returned" - so reads the opening pages with in image making reference to Coyne's music - Majority Razor Blade.

His orange pass - something I think Coyne would have enjoyed - he is perhaps remembered by mainstream rock fans as the artist who turned down the job of replacing the late Jim Morrison as frontman of the Doors because HE DIDNT FANCY WEARING LEATHER TROUSERS!

Coyne often said that he was in a tunnel - he did not board the right train.

I have an artist's book at home by William Kentridge (One of South Africa's greats and one of my favorite artists) called Everyone Their Own Projector - its a GREAT book based on Nicholal Gogol's The Nose (story of a barber who finds a customers nose in his bread and its resulting travels). For some reason Franks book reminds me of this great work.

Frank even subjects Coyne to the Rorschach inkblot test - a projective test of personality - Inkblots which are amorphous, "ambiguous structureless entities" supposedly able to dig mind deep.... No mucking about with Frank dictating visual narrative. VERY evocative page.

There are so many great pages, but I'm going to leave you with one last treasure:

Frank - What can I say? This book is a rarity - and I own it - THANK YOU!
O perhaps I'll leave you with a postscript - what Frank had to say about his book - hope you dont mind Frank - but this is valuable artist intent information (Frank mentioned previously that this work could be a further contribution the The World is a Town" Volume 2.

"About the book? "I don't know really, I didn't have anything concrete in mind when I began it. I got the inspiration from a blog post on Karen
Chamber's (Champlin's) page, about a book she was sent by John Bennett. Apparently,
there were books inside of books inside of books; all hand drawn and
beautiful. It just gave me some inspiration to do something that I felt
was quite big. I had no idea who I was going to send it to before I
started but you've proven to be one of the more prolific members of
this site and I thought you'd appreciate the work that went into it. I
know it isn't brilliant and I've certainly made a bit of a mess with
different inks but I think it shows a certain charm. By the way, the book is called ETC. I know it looks like EFC but it's just my appalling calligraphy. "

Frank - its done better than charm - the book has PRESENCE! Volume 2???