Max Julian Eastman "Refusions" Screenprinted 16p Art Book (Longest Night)
Screenprinted artist book, edition of 100, imported from Sweden
Further information: https://www.refusions.com/
"A noisy book for a traveling tribe. This screen printed book by US noise artist Max Julian Eastman collects a distorted selection of his “Refusions” – collages assembled on cardboard backing using refuse and scrap elements assembled in a subconscious manner, “almost a cryogenic study to preserve refuse.” The book was printed for the occasion of Max’s return to the workshop less than a year after his first visit, a cyclic but unpredictable crossing of paths that allows the underground a taste of continuity and ideas that were uttered in the moment may materialize.
Max Julian Eastman has in recent years stood out more and more in the noise scene – both domestically and globally – mainly for his own music, but also for the label Tribe Tapes. He draws a lot from the much more sprawling 80s industrial and noise, and makes something distinctive of his own from it that also feels more forward-looking than retro."
REFUSIONS - Collages assembled on cardboard backing using refuse and scrap elements assembled in a subconscious manner. The medium is defiled with permanent marker through the practice of automatic writing. The resulting shapes often bear an abstract resemblance to human forms, particularly in an entranced or mystic state. One goal of this is to merge spiritual and popular art — each refusion is layered with cut outs of song titles from mixtapes by unknown authors. The song titles are chosen for aesthetic and subconscious appeal. This is in contrast to my earlier sound works which reappropriated titles of popular songs for conscious, sentimental reasons. Here I am unfamiliar with many of the songs beyond their titles, i.e. “Runnin’ Blind”, “Girl From The Country”. Various elements of refuse are utilized — dead leaves of houseplants, cigarette ash, hair are sealed with shipping tape on the cardboard backing. This is also informed by Gen Ken Montgomery’s Ministry of Lamination studies. In a private conversation he detailed one wild “lamination party” which took place in Berlin during the early 1990s. Partygoers took turn laminating birthday cake, even the hair of a pet monkey someone brought to the event. It is almost a cryogenic study to preserve refuse. - July 9 2025 MJE