Annia Gilmore

"Then & Now"

Double accordion structure. Rives BFK, Woodblock on Kitakata paper, coin rubbings, Eco dyed paper and cloth, Akua ink. Edition: 6

Georg Daniel Flohr's insightful war journal is not only a record of the military maneuvers while serving to fight against the British in the American Revolution, but also gives us his perspective and an insight on the life in the Colonies, landscape, tenacity and passion of the emerging nation at that seminal moment in its history. Lexington, Massachusetts is the birthplace of the American Revolution and as

a European emigrant and Lexington resident, it fascinated me to see Flohr recording the time and events of this area over two centuries ago.

I am honored and thankful for being invited to participate in the The Ex Libris Exchange project.

In the time frame of working on this book I got a chance to visit George Peabody Library in Baltimore, Maryland, and that is where my research started. Cary Memorial Library in Lexington is a home to remarkable, very rich and well preserved Edwin B. Worthen Collection that documents life in Lexington from its earliest settlement through the mid-20th century. On my journey to investigate the flora of the town, I found many interesting tree species and leaf structures that I have never seen before.

As a book artist I was able yet to challenge myself on different aspects of this project from the construction and content of the book to the material choices. I was very inspired and delighted to learn about a journal made by a young man with such a creative soul and hand, skilled in writing, drawing, calligraphy and a great sense of color.

One can only wish that such a sensitive, young and curious man like Georg Daniel Flohr could experience, discover and enjoy fully all what he did in a different time - the time of Peace.

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Ania Gilmore 2016