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All photographs © 2009 Jason Kaczorowski Photography
Marilyn Manson Handcrafted Album
Photographed, Designed & Printed by Jason Kaczorowski
Handcrafted Album by Gena M. Ollendieck
Commissioned for Marilyn Manson & 101 / e x h i b i tI had the privilege of photographing Marilyn Manson's
Trismegistus VIP Opening Reception at the
101 / e x h i b i t gallery in Miami, FL back in December 2008. These photographs, utilized to promote the gallery, were published in the
Miami Herald in addition to being featured on the galleries website.
I created two unique albums for the gallery commemorating the exhibition. The first was a display piece used by the gallery to spotlight the opening night VIP event. The second was intended specifically for Marilyn Manson. I knew I wanted to create something as unique as Manson himself as his personal gift.
During the summer of 2008, I discovered an album crafter named Gena Ollendieck showcasing at an art fair in Illinois. I was immediately intrigued by Ollendieck's amazing abilities to masterfully craft hand-bound leather albums true to the classic 16th century process. Her work finds inspiration from old discarded objects, nature, vintage metals, black and white photographs, internal workings of broken pocket watches, typewriters, cameras and children's games. I immediately knew she was the perfect person to create such a one-of-a-kind album for Manson.
After designing the album from images captured at the event, I used a process of photo transferring where I printed the images in reverse onto a translucent, frosted, vellum-like paper and using 80% rubbing alcohol and a bone folder, applied the printed images to sheets of heavy-weight, gray, deckled-edge stonehenge stock by hand.
Using knowledge gathered from my recounting of the art show and subsequent VIP afterparty in addition to Ollendieck's own perception of Manson for inspiration, the twisted, leather 40 page, 12"X12" album was created.
An old mercury thermometer creates the rod holding the red curtains that sets the stage opening to the central focus of the green folded hands of a fairy representing
absinthe, commonly referred to in historical literature as "la fée verte" or the "Green Fairy". This has an old tie tack around the neck of the fairy with mesh wings and an old ball bearing attached to the winding components of a clock. Small brads set into the sides of the green fairy and a red watch hand is set into the center of the body and the legs are tied. The fairy is set on top of an old pocket watch face and the back side of the fairy can be viewed from the inside of the book. The fairy is set on top of an old red lipstick and an old scale and pulley. The clock hand points to a magnified old button reading "Hard Road". A saw blade is set running into the frame of the composition and continues outside of the frame onto the books cover. At the baseline of the composition is an old medical vile, a awl, and a small vile 210 metric standard. Set in the background is an old metal tin from black flag and additional pins and needles. A gold metal plate with raised printing completes the cover reading "INSURED".






