The Book of Debris
conceived & compiled by Moses E Hoskins
The Book of Debris explained: During an approximate 5 year period 1994-98 part of Hoskins’ body of work came into being as a project to be named The Book of Debris. -Literally, this was a scrap book continuing through several sizes of spiral bound drawing books and pads, composition books or other “editions” cobbled together ('collaged') from/with waste paper, packaging, junk mail and tape altogether ultimately comprising nearly 100 volumes. Street litter is variously featured throughout. Some of this is “artistic” and much of it is not. Below is a random selection of examples for your perusal.
Since 1995 selected volumes from The Book if Debris have been inclided in a number of group shows:
2026 Open Book(s) : Observations / curated by Joe Arnhein, Pierogi / hosted by Monira Fndt'n - Mana Contemporary, Jersey City
2023 Altered Logistics: Contemporary Collage and Appropriation Art / . D Dominick Lombardi & Max-O-Matic - Dowd Gallery, SUNY Cortland, NY
1998 Obsession Food / Pelham Arts Center - Pelham, NY
1997 Verge / Chi Meat Gallery - Williamsburg, Brooklyn
1996-1998 Champions of Modernism: the Art of Tomorrow, The Art of Today:
Polk Museum of Art - Lakeland, FL
Brevard Museum of Art & Science - Melbourne, FL
Sunrise Museum - Charleston, WV
Gibbes Museum of Art - Charleston, SC
Mary Washington College Galleries - Fredericksburg, VA
Castle Gallery, College of New Rochelle - New Rochelle, NY
1995 The Illustrated Book / Center for Book Arts - New York
solo exhibition in 2016: Book of Debris / 57W57Arts - New York / Many volumes have found homes in private collections.
Waterfront Week, Volume 7.6 Mar 27-April 9, 1997 Artburger especially liked Book of Debris by Moses Hoskins, literally an archeologic/ecologic study of the debris on Canal Street that provides ample material evidence of the sweatshops, Chinatown, and fastfood. There is also the irony of carefully turning the pages of a work of art that would be untouchable garbage on the street.
More Fuel for the Debate on Abstraction by Vivien Raynor/ New York Times, Feb.18,1996 Moses Hoskins nudges along the tradition of collage that was established by Kurt Schwitters with two aptly named "Books of Debris"
click on any image to enlarge or to engage side show:
2018 Photo-A-GoGo curated by D.Dominick Lombardi / SRO Gallery - Crown Heights, Brooklyn
2016 Summer Reading / Fortnight Institute - New York
as seen in Altered Logistics: Contemporary Collage and Appropriation Art / Dowd Gallery, SUNY Cortland, NY, 2023
photo credit unknown
In 1998 a selection of volumes from the Book of Debris was included along with other work by Hoskins in a solo exhibition at the Fleming Gallery at Tasis England American School - Surrey, England concurrent with his time there as a visiting artist.
For Altered Logistics, I focused on artists like Moses Hoskins' "Books of Debris” because he was making a comment on life in the city and the behavior of its inhabitants. - D Dominick Lombardi