Book of Hours
September 24, 2021
Many Hands
November 7, 2023

The Accretion of Identity

The Accretion of Identity explores various ways in which individual identity is developed. We might assume that identity is largely self-determined, but many factors, some easily discernible and others hidden from view, go into the process of defining who we are. The persona we embrace as our own is not solely made up of conscious choices but is instead a constant process of adaptation to our surroundings. For people of color there is an added layer of external expectations and assumptions that must be confronted. Family, community, and everyday interactions with strangers all influence our continually evolving sense of self in both overt and subtle ways.

I took my own identity for granted as a somewhat finished process until the pandemic changed almost everything about everyday life. In this new environment, could I continue to be the exact same person that I was before? Pandemic times forced me to consider my sense of self with fresh eyes and to notice how tightly the past and the present are inextricably intertwined.

The Accretion of Identity was letterpress printed from photopolymer and pressure plates on handmade abaca and Japanese papers. The book structure is a Chinese thread book (zhen xian bao). It contains four levels of folded boxes housed in a box with a magnetic closure.


5.375 inches by 9.625 inches by 1.625 inches when closed
opening to a full width of 24.5 inches
Publishers: Flying Fish Press & Coyote Bones Press
Edition of 30 copies
Year of Publication: 2022
Price: $1475.00