The intro for the book:
‘Photocopiers’ The evaluation of Space: Part 3b
Or:
“Roots, bloody roots.”
“Computers were out of reach, rub-on letters were a luxury, so we improvised.”
Jello Biafra
Photocopiers are really just over size cameras, just very big copy-stand cameras...
And ever since I saw my first one, I have fallen in love with these primate-copying devices. The possibility to create images and words has fascinated me. Also the size of these machines that sit in the corner of the room like grand parents sleeping in upright chairs, over the years hey must of collected so much knowledge from the pages they have ever ‘read’. Anything and everything from children’s illustrations to secret internal documents. They have seen them all, now look wise and are content to while their days away sitting, just observing the world around them. All they ask is paper, toner and electricity. I suppose that is quite a lot. O yes, they always keep n breaking down (especially the colour photocopiers).
They have been a very important part of my life. From producing gig posters for my bands first live performances to the artist book you are being bored with now. I don’t know what I would do if they ever disappeared one day (probably crying in a corner). The day the last photocopier is taken out of service, is the day digital world truly wins. It is one of the last glimmers of hope in my life. The shit quality and undesirable shadows that are made when copying books. In the modern age, where technology is perfect, the photocopier screams failure.
This is my homage to the photocopier machine, to the old way, the wrong ways, the right ways, failure.