Nick Thurston

.The eighteenth-century reverend Laurence Sterne wrote one of the most famous novels

in the history of Western literature, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

(1759-67) a book described by Italo Calvino as « postmodern before there was even a

modernism to be post about ». Amongst the printerly tricks in Tristram Shandy is an almost

entirely missing chapter, which is only signified by a jump of nine pages in the page count,

a third of blank paper on the page, and a sentence opening the next chapter that tells us

readers that all we missed was « the visitations at **** ».

Nick Thurston’s fine prints are laid out as an uncut bookmaker’s imposition spread. They

imagine what Sterne’s four asterisks might refer us or defer us to. Every print in Thurston’s

set is uniquely marbled following either the colour scheme or Turkish Spot pattern of

Sterne’s first edition. .

– source : Whitechapel Gallery –