Angel Doll Volume, 2003

The base of “Angel Doll Volume” is a black hardbound volume of unlined white paper, the type Rosenthal uses for journals. Attached to it are photographs of the back and front of the almost naked body of a well-worn doll from the artist’s childhood. These are dry-mounted back-to-back on museum board and steel-bolted with two 1-1.5 inch bolts to the volume’s spine, through to the center stitches. The wings, similarly two-sided, mounted and cut out, are bolted with two 0.5-inch bolts each to the cover. The two wings are markedly different. A striking, haunting, surreal object, five years in the making, the book stands erect and open, the poor doll facing out, unlikely to fly.

Hardbound volume of white paper sketchbook; 6 selenium-toned black and white silver-gelatin photographs printed by the artist; museum board; dry-mount tissue; steel nuts and bolts.

14.5 x 8 x 1.5 inches

Edition of 6