Coffee table book

“Approach the object”—the first sentence in Lotte Lyon’s book of drawings, installations, and photographs, accompanied by the words of Franz Thalmair. They quietly guide the viewer toward a willful, structured way of seeing and acting. The object on the opposite page: a plywood box with a turquoise rectangle on top. Its title: Coffee Table. The texts by Franz Thalmair give the viewers precise—overly precise—instructions on how to conduct their acts of viewing. Like Lotte Lyon’s last book, 4 Millimeter, this publication blurs what at first glance seems obvious and reduced in a viewer-friendly way; it oscillates, even if straight lines and clear colors dominate. With wit and irony, the book traces the viewing habits of art aficionados and points them in a direction that helps them see through their own game. A cheerful, complex book full of games and reflections—also perfect for the coffee table.