Frances Cannon Books

Walter Benjamin was a multifaceted intellectual—an art critic, essayist, translator, philosopher, collector, and urban flâneur. In her work, Frances Cannon provides a visual and literary response to Benjamin's writings, featuring intricate pen-and-ink drawings and hand-lettered text. This piece serves as an illuminated exploration of Benjamin's thoughts, functioning as a graphic translation and an encyclopedia of fragments rather than a mere guide to his greatest ideas. Cannon's approach is not one of dense analysis; instead, she embodies the spirit of a flâneuse, using Benjamin's words alongside her own art to create a creative mapping of his work. For instance, phrases from "Unpacking My Library" are illustrated with images of flying papers and stacked books, evoking a sense of disordered charm. The exploration spans various periods of Benjamin's writing, including nostalgic reflections on his childhood in "Artifacts of Youth," early political and cultural critiques in "Fragments of a Critical Eye," philosophical meditations in "Athenaeum of Imagination," his unfinished magnum opus "A Stroll through the Arcades," and experimental narratives in "A Collection of Dreams and Stories." Through her drawings and text, Cannon pays a phantasmagorical tribute to Benjamin's wandering eye.