An Only Kid 6.2 x 9.4" 13 pages. Printed on Frankfurt cream paper. A single signature hand-sewn pamphlet in brown wrappers made of cotton rags, goat hair, and pigment. Title printed in blue, red and gray. Uses a cut-away stair-step margin printed for page tabs. Avandenka says the text and art were inspired by the books of El Lissitzky. From the Library of Congress collection: "An artist, a printmaker, and a calligrapher, Lynne Avadenka created this version of “Had Gadya,” the last and one of the most beloved songs in the Haggadah, the book read on the holiday of Passover in the context of family gatherings and festive meals. “Had gadya” (“an only kid”) are the first two words of the song. Allegorically, the song describes successive nations that seek, one after another, to devour and destroy the Jewish people. Finally, God ends the escalating violent cycle, bringing peace. Avadenka suggests in her commentary that “Had Gadya” might also be a song of personal redemption, where one rises beyond fear and doubt to create a life for oneself, guided by deeds of lovingkindness." |
