I Ching #64: Unfinished.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina:: Blue Bluer Books,, 2013.. Open Edition. 7" x 5.25"; 4 pages. Accordion structure. Inkjet printed with an Epson R2200 on Moab paper. Bound in black cloth-covered boards with collage title illustration on front cover. In paper slipcase with title label on side inserted into four corner picture slots. Each copy has unique burn/smoke marks made with matches and incense. Signed by the artist. Josh Hockensmith: "The two trigrams that make up hexagram 64 are Fire over Water. Thomas Cleary's translation of hexagram 64 reads, 'The unfinished being carried out is a small fox almost finished making a crossing; if it gets its head wet, nothing is profited.' "Other translations of the hexagram include 'Not yet forded,' and 'Before completion.' It can be read as an encouraging sign that the successful achievement of a goal is in sight, or alternatively as a warning not to lose focus when something is nearly finished - perseverance is needed to see it through successfully to the end." "Unfinished is from Blue Bluer Books' I Ching series. Josh Hockensmith, Blue Bluer Books: "Each book in the I Ching series will be a visual meditation on one of the sixty-four entries in the Chinese wisdom book known as the Book of Change. "When doing a reading from the I Ching, the reader makes a randomized selection of two symbols called trigrams. There are eight trigrams to select from, meaning that there is a total of sixty-four combinations-or 'hexagrams'-that may result. "Each trigram combines yin and yang elements to represent different ideas - Sky, Lake, Thunder, Fire, Earth, Mountain, Water, and Wind. The hexagrams formed by the combination of these symbols have a range of traditional interpretations. I'm fascinated by the combination of mysticism and practical, philosophical analysis the I Ching represents - especially the value it places on chance in evaluating one's actions and fate.