A facsimile of 240 copies.

Designed with an emphasis on craftsmanship, combined with the use of specialised knowledge in binding, engraving and pagination, this artist's book was conceived as a multi-handed job. It presents itself as a seductive object, embedded with a sense of preciousness. Each material, carefully chosen, also contributes to this, as does the valorisation of each component.

On the cover, an emblem, coined by a firm gesture, alerts us to the symbolic potential that we will find inside this facsimile. This emblem suggests a derivation of a fleur-de-lis, a heraldic element traditionally associated with purity and spirituality. In this case, the three ‘petals’ point in the same direction. This figure brings together three dominant images - flower, flame, bird, as if it were an adaptation of a symbol, a personal stamp. In any case, these elements belong to the natural world and run freely throughout the book, in different formulations, either through text or drawing.

This artist's book is not just a collector's item, but a testament to Sara Bichão's artistic vision.

Sara Bichão (PT, 1986), artist based in Lisboa, presents a new exhibition in the Contemporary Gallery of Serralves Museum. Called Quando não há luz [Lightless], this selection features works produced during a series of residences that took place over more than a year.