The Main Gallery presents Encyclopedic: Weathered Volumes to start 2024

Encyclopedic: Weathered Volumes is the exhibit at The Main Gallery in Menlo Park through February 25.

Featured is artist and writer Nanette Wylde who offers new book works based on a 10 volume set of the American Educator Encyclopedia first published in 1919 and discontinued in 1977. This 10 volume set of encyclopedias was used by Nanette’s partner in his youth.

In the late 90s Nanette turned the books into art objects, painting them pure white and exhibiting them. She then put them outside in the garden and left them for several decades. Deciding that the books had reached an aesthetically pleasing degree of decay and needed rescue, she brought them indoors. The books were documented in 2023 to create this conceptual body of work.

Beginning in January, receptions at the gallery will be held on the second Friday of each month, from 5:00–7:00 pm — January 12 and February 9.

The Main Gallery is located at 883 Santa Cruz Avenue; hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 am-5:00 pm.