In the event of a moon disaster.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin:: redthreadletterpress,, 2013.. Edition of 20. 5" x 5.5"; 16 pages. Screenprinting, letterpress, and laser cutting. Rives BFK paper. Double-sided accordion. Ends slip into pastedown pockets of the boards. Bound in blue cloth with paper title label on front board. Signed and numbered by the artist. Melissa Wagner-Lawler: "In the event of moon disaster was a speech written by William Safire in 1969 for the President to read if the Apollo 11 mission was not successful and the astronauts were lost. This artist book uses segments of this text combined with maps from the landing site, traverse patterns of the moon, and star patterns of the night sky in July, 1969. The speech text is on the 'front' side of the book and the interior/'back' side of the book contains interpretive images of space and the destruction of the space craft." More from Wagner-Lawler: "The maps and images in the book are taken from NASA images and maps and reinterpreted and deconstructed by me... I try to not be so literal in this way, but perhaps more referential since I personally find this a more interesting way to use reference material in my work. The star pattern from the sky is actually the laser cut holes throughout the book. Using a night sky generator, the star pattern is the night sky from the launch site the night of the Apollo 11 launch. The back side of the accordion is an abstract representation of space from the perspective of an astronaut lost in space. The shapes represent the destroyed space craft.