COMMISSIONS

Ten Years of Reading

• Data in gouache on mirror
• 6 ft x 5 ft x 4 in.
• 2021 - 2023

by Ninna Gaensler-Debs & Cal Tabuena-Frolli

Installed in the private library of NGD and Patrick Galvin by CTF and Camille Wong in 2023, San Francisco.

Photographs by Jessie Badrous

Since 2011, my friend Ninna has kept a log of the books she's read.

This physical documentary in painted glass is a reflection of her list as of 2021, 472 books.

Each mirror represents an author; colors represent genre

During the production of this piece, I made 5 material studies ( Friend Pieces ) and a book of auxiliary research called Only the Gold 01

Friend Piece 01 ( for Carlotta )

• Mirror on board
• 24 x 48 in.
• 2021

Friend Piece 02 ( for Angelou )

• Flatscreen material collage
• 24 x 48 in.
• 2021

Friend Piece 05 ( for Myself )

• Color pencil and gouache on canvas
• 36 x 42 in.
• 2022

Friend Piece 03 ( for Angela )

• Flatscreen material collage
• 24 x 48 in.
• 2021

Friend Piece 04 ( for the Public )

• Mirror and gouache on board
• 24 x 48 in.
• 2021
• not pictured

Only The Gold 01

• a book of collected reading, research, and photographs in 4 parts
• Edition of 2

BOOK ONE

The Ohlone Way digest

• Malcolm Margolin
• 197

Book Buffet 01

• an index of California books compiled by CTF
• 2023

Annals of the Former World digest

• John McPhee
• 1998

BOOK TWO

California's Frontier Naturalists digest

• Malcolm Margolin
• 197

Art & Artists

• an index of Californian and gay artists compiled by CTF
• 2023

Mapquest 01

• an index of California maps compiled by CTF
• 2023

BOOK THREE

Black Gold in the Joaquin digest

• Frank F. Latta
• 1949

House of Cedar digest

• May Merrill Miller
• 1941

BOOK FOUR

Ghosts of Gold Mountain digest

• Gordon Chang
• 2019

On the Top of Mount Hamilton

• Franklin Hichborn
• 1907

Quincie Bolliver digest

• Mary King O'Donnell
• 1941

Pamela Halpern Photo Archive

Negatives and slides scanned

Photos compiled and arranged by date

Documents collected and stored

If you would like to propose a commission - either illustrating a data set, or organizing a home archive, please email me.

tabuenafrolli@gmail.com