Lost Days series

“Lost” has been a recurring theme in my artist’s books: Lost Washers, Lost Ringpulls, Lost Banks, Lost Marbles and Lost Days. Lost Days has, since 2010, become an annual series (missing only 2012). The content of each new edition is similar: at first sight, each appears to be a calendar for the coming year. But, on closer examination, we see that each month has some dates missing, or “lost”, defined by different mathematical series and simple code messages.

There is a "key" with each edition explaining the mathematical series or code message used.

Each edition packs flat and comes in an envelope.

2010 and 2011 editions

Lost Days 2010 & Lost Days 2011 were variations on a sculptural structure that I invented and which my wife calls “the Jester’s Hat"

Lost Days 2010

The 2011 edition used the same content and structure but the colours were completely different.

2013

There was no 2012 edition.

Lost Days 2013 was another sculptural structure that I’ve called the “Star Wheel” or "Catherine Wheel" (the original "Curved Quadrilateral" was a bit of a mouthful)

This structure also comes flat-packed and takes seconds to assemble –and pack away again if desired.

2014 and 2015

Lost Days 2014 & Lost Days 2015 used yet another self-discovered structure that I’ve named “Hidden Content, Double Meaning”. Opened one way, the 2014 edition shows the 12 months of 2014. Close & re-open a different way and you get the first 6 months of 2015 as well.

Lost Days 2014 opened as a concertina. The accompanying envelope & key are also shown here.

And here is the same Lost Days 2014, now opened in the alternative "book page" way, to reveal the "hidden content" of the first six months of the following year, 2015.

Here's Lost Days 2015. You get 2015 dates by opening the concertina and the first six months of 2016 in the "hidden" section, revealed by opening like a book

2016

Lost Days 2016, uses the Turkish mapfold structure

Lost Days 2016 - Turkish mapfold structure

Here's the same Lost Days 2016 folded flat, with its accompanying envelope and key

2017

Lost Days 2017 uses the "treefold" structure.

Lost Days 2017 - do you get the "treefold"?

Again the same Lost Days 2017 but now extended (you just tug the two end tabs) - shown with the accompanying envelope and key

2018

The "treefold" structure has been so popular that I've used it again for 2018. Of course, it uses 2018 dates.

As with all the "Lost Days" series, Lost Days 2018 initially looks like a simple 2018 calendar. Closer examination reveals that each month has missing, or “lost”, dates – according to various mathematical formulae & simple code messages. There is a list of these on the accompanying envelope.

The "Contra-Curve" structure isn't strictly part of the Lost Days series. It is a derivative of my "Curved Quadrilateral" (see Lost Days 2013" above) and, of course, owes something to Hedi Kyles's flag books. There will, in due course, be a Lost Days using the "Contra-Curve".

The "Contra_Curve" structure that I've recently developed - used here for a 2018 promotional calendar.

The "Contra-Curve" in its "flat-pack form"

Another view of the "Contra-Curve" structure, showing the central support and the card used to keep the sculptural form in tension and open.

Prices

Prices vary, according to how difficult the copies of each edition are to make:

Lost Days 2010: originally £30, now £25

Lost Days 2011: originally £30, now £25

Lost Days 2013: originally £30, now £25

Lost Days 2014: originally £25, now £20

Lost Days 2015: originally £25, now £20

Lost Days 2016: originally £25, now £20

Lost Days 2017: last few copies only £12

Lost Days 2018: £15

Calendar 2018: £15

Orders/enquiries via the "Contact" page please.

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