INCOMPLETE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TOUCH | ERIK KESSELS, THOMAS SAUVIN, KAREL DE MULDER

Graphically designed as a photographic encyclopedia, Incomplete Encyclopedia of Touch (published by RVB Books in 2024) is actually a project that takes on the form of anthropological research. The images featured in the book come from the archives of Erik Kessels—a collection of over 15,000 family albums and a cornerstone of his artistic practice—Karel de Mulder, and Thomas Sauvin.
The main theme of the publication is the (almost inexplicable) human desire to lay hands on everything, whether tangible or intangible, following the theory that everything that can be touched will be touched. Sourced from different origins, the 1,919 photographs that make up this incomplete encyclopedia manage to offer a 360-degree view of the phenomenon, focusing on this seemingly universal practice—and temptation.

Respecting the traditional structure of an encyclopedia, this substantial publication is divided into categories, all listed alphabetically in the index on the opening pages: for example, in the first section—the ‘A’—we find Airplanes and Animals, while in the ‘B’ section, we come across Boats, and so on. As the title itself suggests, there is no ambition to present a finished or exhaustive project—an impossible task in any case; some letters/categories remain empty, leaving space for both imagination and a potential follow-up volume.
This ironic yet rigorous exploration of human desire reveals an affinity for the most varied objects—trees, cars, balustrades—but also for the most improbable ones—refrigerators, fish, cacti. What compels someone to touch a cactus, a plant covered in sharp spines, just to pose for a photo? Surely, there are other ways to take a good picture, yet countless individuals deliberately choose to do so.
“Do we seek connection? Do we claim ownership? Or do we just want to measure ourselves to the objects of our world?” ask the authors of Incomplete Encyclopedia of Touch. These questions are highlighted through a visual language characterized by a practice of near-compulsive accumulation: the hundreds of collected images.

There are no texts, except for the words that title the categories and a brief synopsis on the final page. However, no words are needed for a visual narrative that captivates and intrigues with every turn of the page.
The research conducted by Kessels, de Mulder, and Sauvin not only brings to light one of humanity’s quirkiest behaviors but also celebrates the charm of photography in its purest form—when practiced by amateurs.

Incomplete Encyclopedia of Touch
Erik Kessels, Karel de Mulder, Thomas Sauvin
22 x 30 cm, 496 color pages, soft cover
Published by RVB Books, Paris, 2024

Incomplete Encyclopedia of Touch. Erik Kessels, Karel de Mulder, Thomas Sauvin.
22 x 30 cm, 496 color pages, soft cover.
Published by RVB Books, Paris, 2024.

25/01/25