Nox by Anne Carson

One of the shelves in the archive is labeled “Books to Inspire,” and the collection features works of innovative design, format, and concept.

One of my favorite works is Anne Carson’s Nox. The book is a single folded sheet of paper, featuring text, collaged images, and family photographs. The artist writes, “When my brother died I made an epitaph for him in the form of a book. This is a replica of it, as close as we could get.”

Like many people, I find myself interested in the details of private histories of people, and seek the opportunity to peek at old photo albums. Through this strange, and yes, inspiring work, Anne Carson gives viewers an intimate and narrow look into the relationship between the artist and her deceased brother.