Devils & Evils, Dante’s Divine Comedy Revisited: An Unholy Tragedy

I am happy to announce the completion of my new book Devils & Evils. The book uses an eight-panel sculptural tunnel book format and can be viewed in two ways; in its compressed state it can be pivoted in the hands to more easily read the circular text. Additionally, the side hinges allow the eight panels to be stretched out to view the text as it descends into the depths of the structure. This format allows for the three-dimensional embodiment of a pictorial form originating in the Middle Ages, the hellmouth. A hellmouth is a visual representation of the entrance to Hell, typically depicted as the gaping maw of a beast or a monster swallowing up the sinners deserving of the punishments of hell. In my modern iteration, I have chosen a specific person as the monster however he isn’t alone, many others have supported and encouraged his heinous acts. All of us are caught up in this hell, the innocents, the guilty, the indifferent, and the well-intended. The ecological sins on our planet will eventually visit punishments on us all. My thanks to all the wonderful people at the University of Iowa Special Collections, the Newberry Library, and the Library of Congress Rare Book Room for their assistance while I was researching Dante, hellmouths, and demons. The tunnel book is letterpress printed on 270 gsm Colorplan pristine white paper, using collagraphs, and photo polymer plates from Boxcar Press. The face tinting is pastel applied by hand. The hinge paper is 135 gsm Coloplan pale gray paper. The book is enclosed in a cloth covered tri-fold wrapper. The side text panels are printed on 135 gsm Colorplan real gray paper, the back panel is 135 gsm Colorplan smoke gray paper. The wrapper is contained in a cloth covered clamshell box. The edition size might be as large as 30 copies. The book was begun in 2025 in the aftermath of the 2024 election and completed in 2026.