Published by Kunst Editions in 2001, The Cruelty of Loveless Love is a striking folio consisting of 18 paper folders, each containing a mounted monochrome photograph with a letterpress poem on the facing page.
Only 35 copies were available for sale, this copy being 11/35. There were also 25 copies marked H. C. and reserved for the Black Sparrow Press and the contributors.
The photographs were taken by Joan Levine Gannij and printed by hand from the original negatives. There is a foreword by Carl Weissner (Bukowski’s long-time agent, friend, and German translator), with an introduction and poem by Gannij.
Over the years, the picture of Bukowski posing with a woman in front of his refrigerator has become perhaps the most iconic photograph of Bukowski. This is in large part because of the woman posing with him. Her name was Georgia Hubbard and you really couldn’t have picked a better prop for Bukowski during this time period.
There are several variations of Bukowski posing with Hubbard in the portfolio. Gannij also presents a well-written, powerful essay about Hubbard’s presence at the shoot that day.
The portfolio consists of 12 leaves printed on rectos only, and 18 paper folders each containing a mounted monochrome photo with a letterpress poem on the facing page. The poems are by both by Linda Lee and Charles Bukowski.
The poems are handset in 10-point, reproducing Typewriter (Broadface) No 721, resembling as close as possible the typeface of Bukowsky's typewriter when he wrote these poems. The poems had not been previously published and were provided by John Martin of Black Sparrow Press.
All of the contents are housed in a Burgundy red Thai silk-covered clamshell case measuring approximately 12.25” x 14.75”, with a photographic insert of a monochrome photograph of Bukowski on the cover. The box is housed in an unprinted hard black slipcase that shows some inevitable wear. The outer box was somewhat cheaply made with cardboard and is not part of the design. It was simply included to protect the primary box and its contents and it has certainly accomplished its mission here.
The box and its contents are all in fine condition with the box having a small loose/hanging string on the lower front.
Crate 3
