A Humument (Fifth Edition)
Paperback: 392 pages
Published: 24th May 2012
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
ISBN US: 978-0-500-28999-0
ISBN UK: 978-0-500-29043-9
In 1966 artist Tom Phillips set himself a task: to find a second-hand book for threepence and alter every page by painting, collage and cut-up techniques to create an entirely new version. He found his threepenny novel in a junk shop on Peckham Rye, South London. This was an obscure 1892 Victorian novel, A Human Document, by W.H. Mallock. He titled his altered book A Humument. The first version of all 367 treated pages was published in 1973 since when there have been four revised editions and an App. It is now one of the best known and loved of all 20th century artist’s books and has become a cult classic.
This edition incorporates more than 80 new pages and, in its forty fifth year, the project continues to be a work in progress.