Frankenstein

This new version of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's classic 19th century novel Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus features seventy-six illustrations by International Collage Artists who delved into the novel's rich narrative and visual potential and created thought-provoking artworks that reflect the essence of Frankenstein in a 21st century context.

“Frankenstein,” writes artist David Edward Johnson, “The name alone conjures a lightning storm of images. From corpses, unholy and unearthed, to gothic laboratories, alive with galvanic impulse, to personal loss, longing, and anger. Shelley’s 1818 masterwork is locked in our collective unconscious like a fever dream. Since childhood, I have been in love with its silent shudders and moss-covered 19th-century tableaus.”

Artists created illustrations that connected Shelley's text to contemporary issues. Artists explored the role of science and artificial intelligence, queerness, intersectional identities, narcissism, and modern relationships. "Shelley's timelessness is proven by our ability to use her novel to reflect on our world today," said Kolaj Institute Director Ric Kasini Kadour. "Collage artists, with their unique ability to transcend scale, place, and history, are well-suited to giving us pictures that bring vintage texts into the contemporary moment."

Art Direction
Nancy Bernardo
Christopher Kurts

Contributing Artists
Claire Dannenbaum (Eugene, Oregon)
Emily Denlinger (Cape Girardeau, Missouri)
Suzanne Greenberg (New York, New York)
Marta Janik (Warsaw, Poland)
David Edward Johnson (Skaneateles, New York)
Anthony D Kelly (Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland)
Maureen Letton (San Francisco, California)
Rosie Lewis (York, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom)
Anissa Malady (San Francisco, California)
Anthony Naimo (Spruce Pine, North Carolina)
Veronica Schwaller (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
Rebecca Steiner (Lyme, Connecticut)
Jessica TranVo (Boston, Massachusetts)
Elzbieta Zdunek (Berlin, Germany)

Details: 2024 | 234 pages | 9"x6" | ISBN 978-1-927587-72-0

Collage & Illustration is a series of residencies, publications, discussions, and exhibitions that takes vintage, public domain stories and recontextualizes them for a 21st century audience with collaborative collage illustrations. Learn more at kolajinstitute.org/collage-illustration