It Is What It Is
Whether you deem 2×4’s monograph, It Is What It Is, a complete success or frustrating and hollow, you will likely find the title undeniably appropriate. The book (a 1000-page “catalog” designed in conjunction with an exhibition in Tokyo last year) has earned mixed reviews. Each page contains 1 full-bleed image, the sum of which is intended to be “a blurry telling of a blurry story.” Or, as explained in the brief foreword:
If a picture is worth a thousand words, do these thousand pictures tell a story? Critics of this book will say no, while praise calls it “a sensory experience, a McLuhan-esque technological extension of the eye.” If you believe 2×4 owes you a narrative look into their studio and work history, you’ll likely find this book less valuable than the 2.5″ of bookshelf space it will occupy. If you don’t already find the idea of self-published monograph overly pretentious, maybe you’ll like it for what it is.