ALLO / TROPES. AN ALCHEMY THRU A GLASS DARKLY -- WITH LINES EXPROPRIATED FROM TENNYSON & WORDSWORTH

[Saint Paul]: The Hermetic Press, 2019. COPY "G" OF 26 LETTERED COPIES on 125 gsm Stardream paper (and five copies on 110 gsm Plike paper). 245 x 143 mm. (9 3/4 x 5 5/8"). [20] leaves.
Original card covers wrapped in a shiny orange chemise, upper wrapper with title printed in dark orange. Printed in color throughout. ◆In mint condition.

An alchemy of typography, color, words, and design, this is an impeccably printed work that plays on the word "allotropes"--a term used in chemistry that refers to the different states a particular element may take (such as graphite and diamond for carbon). As we admire the vibrant color combinations juxtaposed with shifting letter forms, the printer also invites us to consider the science and experimentation inherent to this work, using diagrams, chemical notations, and images that look as if they were taken from under a microscope to provoke our imaginations. The shimmering paper on which the text is printed here and especially the glistening orange cover make a very pleasing impression. The poet/artist/typographer/printer Phillip Gallo has been printing concrete and visual poetry since he founded his Hermetic Press in 1965. His books are in important collections around the world, including in the Museum of Modern Art and the Walker Art Center..