Larsen Zambrano, “The Tracks with No Name”

Larsen Zambrano
Virginia Beach, Virginia
larsen-zambrano.format.com

The Tracks with No Name
2019
tunnel books and box
10 x 5 x 7″

Artist Statement

Told from the perspective of the only friend who continues to go back, The Tracks with No Name tells the story of how three best friends discovered a hidden oasis on a stretch of abandoned train tracks. They made it their escape, their home, then grew apart over the years and abandoned it. The story is told through four tunnel books, with the first and third books mirroring each other as they describe the oasis before and after discovery. The second and fourth books mirror each other as well as they describe the first discovery and the re-discovery. Each page is digitally designed and laser cut from cardstock and lightweight paper that’s been layered on top of one another to emphasize depth and help create the environment of the story. I chose the tunnel book structure to give the story a place so that readers could imagine themselves inside, but unlike most tunnel books however, the right accordion of each book can be pulled away and to the side. This allows for the poem to be read clearly, and each page to be turned and viewed without obstruction. Also, to avoid the issue of pages slipping from the folds they sit in, magnets are used so the pages can easily go back into place without any trouble. The Tracks with No Name aims to bring storytelling to life through the unorthodox interaction with a seemingly simple book structure as it asks readers to look deeper and come discover a hidden oasis within its pages.