Artists’ books news, March – April 2018
Exhibitions
each breath, a page | each page, a breath. Works by Julie Johnstone & Essence Press at StAnza International Poetry Festival, Preservation Trust Museum, Fife, 8th-11th March 2018.
Julie Johnstone is an artist, curator and publisher based in Edinburgh. She creates artists’ books and installations that explore visual perception, distillation and contemplative experience. Each breath, a page will feature a selection of works from her Essence Press imprint, including new pieces on the theme of the breath and the book as a contemplative physical space. It will also feature a new multi-poet/artist project, a box installation work with poets Jane Hirshfield, Autumn Richardson, JL Williams, Jayne Wilding, and artist Laurie Clark.
With a Meet the Artist session Friday 9 March, 12.30-1.15, free. 8-11 March 2018, 11am-5pm. Preservation Trust Museum, 12 North Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9PW.
www.stanzapoetry.org/festival/events/each-breath-page-each-page-breath
www.stanzapoetry.org
Kate Bufton – REPETITION 730.92 at Golborne Library, Warrington.
1 – 29 March 2018. Artist’s Talk & Celebration event, 1 March 3pm-5pm.
Kate Bufton creates intricate and fragile paper sculptures from pages of timeworn books. Delicately assembled paper vessels enhance the books’ original beauty, whilst absent words – either stained or removed – highlight the damaging consequences of removing public libraries from our communities.
Kate transforms this familiar medium from a carrier of text to an object of art. The process of repetition, seen throughout many of her pieces, enables the artist to enter a trance-like state, in which she finds her mind to be most creative.
The combination of inks and paints applied freely mix together, each liquid following its own organic path before pooling together and absorbing into the paper’s surface. The final sculpture is sealed and preserved within wax, referencing the importance of protecting the arts within our libraries. Kate captures this moment in time so that it can be appreciated and admired by future generations to come.
Kate’s latest exhibition, ‘Repetition’, explores the creative potential within our public libraries. Kate proposed a project working directly with Wigan libraries’ collections of art books during a 6-month artist residency at Golborne library.
Kate’s project is based around the libraries’ Dewey Decimal system and the way books are categorised within it. Kate’s aim was to explore four key elements of the Arts & Recreation category (books contained within the 700-790s), focusing on sculpture, photography, printmaking and painting. Inspiration came from the array of art books on the shelves and the artists that she found within the pages. The main inspirations for Kate’s project have come from two books in particular – Eva Hesse’s ‘Studio Work’ and Andy Goldsworthy ‘Hand to Earth’.
Golborne Library, Tanners Lane, Golborne, Warrington, WA3 3AW, UK.
https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Libraries/Golborne-Library.aspx
BOUND to BRISTOL
Preview: Tuesday 20 March 2018, 4-7pm at the F Block Gallery, Bower Ashton Campus, UWE Bristol. Running until Friday 23 March, 5pm
Bound to Bristol is delighted to present a pop-up two-day exhibition, showcasing a collection of artists’ books. This exhibition is inspired by and sourced from the personal collection of Sarah Bodman, senior research fellow in Artists’ Books at the Centre for Fine Print Research, at UWE Bristol. Produced by four MA/MFA Curating students from the university, the exhibition aims to present a diverse range of works produced by artists, whose practices are either based in Bristol, or influenced by the city. The extensive range of books, brought together in this way, will map out connections between the objects and their authors, and celebrate the work’s intrinsic diversity.
The exhibition will encourage visitors to pick up and flick through the books on display. Visitors are also invited to contribute to The Bristol Reading List during the show – please feel free to record the title of your favourite book, or a book that everyone should read.
The show is curated in conjunction with two Artist Books workshops, which will be drop-in and free to attend for all. The workshops will allow the public to take inspiration from the exhibition, and to try their hands at creating their own Artist Books. The first workshop will be held at Junction 3 library, in Baptist Mills, between 11am and 2pm on 3 March. The second will take place at Hamilton House on 17 March, in the Community Arts Space, at the same times.
Materials will be provided at both workshops, however bringing your own material, such as photographs, magazine clippings or newspapers is encouraged. In the spirit of collaboration, participants are invited to share the book that they produce with the public, in the exhibition at the F Block gallery at UWE Bristol. Bound to Bristol is a project which aims to engage audiences with and through artistic expression, and wants to celebrate participatory culture.
Exhibiting artists: Craig Atkinson, Guy Begbie, Angie Butler, Sarah Bodman, Paul Cooke, Anwyl Cooper-Willis, Lisa Davies, Helena de la Guardia, Jeremy Dixon, Andrew Eason, Bernard Fairhurst, Kate Farley, Fluxus Lab, Stephen Fowler, Hazel Grainger, Charlotte Hall, Gen Harrison, Nadine James, Éilis Kirby, Cecilia Mandrile, Imi Maufe, Natalie McGrorty, Jon McNaught, Kar Mern Tan, Jonathan Monk, Linda Parr, Carinna Parraman, Paul Salt, Ruth Sidgwick, Tom Sowden, Cathey Webb, Rebecca Weeks, Corinne Welch, and Philippa Wood.
UWE Bristol, City Campus at Bower Ashton, Kennel Lodge Road, Bristol BS3 2JT.
http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/about/visitus/campusmapsandinformation/citycampus.aspx
‘Padua Fragments’, Solo exhibition of paintings, collages and artists’ books by Noëlle Griffiths. 2 March – 13 April 2018 at GALERI, Doc Victoria, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 1SQ. Private View: Friday 2 March 6.30-8pm. www.noellegriffiths-art.co.uk
Jaipur, Dehli, And Agra, Travels into Riso Print – Three Books by Daniel Lehan. Launch and Exhibition of three Riso stab bound books, and original collages for these books will be held at bookartbookshop, 17 Pitfield Street, London, 2 – 16 March 2018.
Jaipur, Delhi, and Agra -Travels Into Riso Print – is an exhibition that launches three Riso books, and features the original collaged postcard books which form the basis for the books.
The books were printed at the London Centre for Book Arts, where I usually produce editions of collaged concertina books. These Riso books are the first that I have made. The texts of each book derives from texts cut from tourist guides and histories of each city. Each copy is stab bound and a sheet of glassine separates each page. The books are approximately three times the size of the original postcard books.
John Dilnot – OUT OF PRINT – Selected books from 1985 to the present. Bower Ashton Library, UWE Bristol.Friday 2 March – Monday 16 April 2018
As an artist, making books has been an integral part of my practice since making my first books at art college in 1985. When I realised that a book could be art, I instantly felt it was right. For me they are containers holding a collection of images or a string of ideas. I like the intimacy of a book, its sequential nature. As I had already been a printmaker for some time, I realised that I could print editions of books to distribute as an inexpensive work of original art.
My interest is in natural history, particularly urban domestic nature and human intervention. My observations of nature as a child have had a lasting influence on me. I have vivid memories of exploring my grandparent’s large garden, observing the ‘Weeds and Pests’ and enjoying the produce from their vegetable plot and fruit trees, particularly helping picking and sorting the good from the bad apples before storing.
To date, I have made around 65 titles: many of the books are screen printed, others use photocopy, photographic prints, potato printing, hand cut rubber-stamps, or digital printing. A preferred binding method is accordion, which is a long strip of paper folded zig-zag to create pages which can be opened out to view the whole book.
Some early book works, Estate (shown at Oldham Art Gallery) and Ten English Homes (shown at Cornerhouse Manchester and Bluecoat Liverpool), were produced to accompany installations. I liked the idea of making two completely different things. The book being a small intimate object, produced in multiple and lasting beyond the exhibition and the installation, a large temporary structure.
From 1994 to 2004 I worked on a Little Book Series. The books had economy in mind and was partly an exercise in what could be made from an A4 sheet. I also wanted to keep the price down selling through a range of outlets and so was able to reach a larger audience.
For many years I have been photographing trees affected by their urban environment. In January 1999 I started photographing discarded Christmas trees, I was struck by the dramatic ways many were disposed of at the time. These photographs became the book January and at that point I decided to sort the other photographs I had into themes and produce four more books, Attachments, Boundaries, Space and Communication.
The books are in many public collections including, V&A, Tate, MOMA New York, Yale Center for British Art, University of the West of England Library (Bower Ashton), Winchester School of Art Library, University of Brighton, The British Library, Royal College of Art Library and Chelsea School of Art.
Bower Ashton Library, UWE Bristol, City Campus at Bower Ashton, Kennel Lodge Road, Bristol BS3 2JT. http://www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/dilnot/
Events and artists’ book fairs
Counter 2018: Plymouth Art Book Fair, Ocean Studios, Royal William Yard, Plymouth,
Saturday 17 March 2018, 12-6pm.
Following on from previous events, Counter 2018 draws together artists, collectives and book works from the UK and beyond to make friends, sell books, buy books, share work, share knowledge, learn something new and start conversations.
Exhibitors: Analogue Collective, Antler Press, Artist Tea Towel Company, As Yet Untitled, Atlantic Press Books, Benjamin Wright, Bristol Brunswick Fig, Clare Rogers, Close and Remote, Daniel Lehan, Elena Brake, Foreground, Fotonow, G.F. Smith, Guy Bigland, HG Makes, Impact Press, J.R. Carpenter, Jessica Wright, KLD Repro, Laura Rosser, Makina Books, Mark Pawson, Matthew Kay, Midnakit & Plymouth Zine Library, Phil Owen & Arnolfini Artist Book Collection, Plymouth University Illustration, Pirrip Press, Pylon Press, Rachael Jenkins, Rhys Morgan, Semple Press, SHAPE OF ACCESS, Sister Sister, STANDINGFRAME18, TAZI ZINE, The Art Vending Machine, Uniform Books.
Plus Arts Council-supported guest programme of talks and performance by:
Daniel Lehan (London), Phil Owen & The Arnolfini Artist Book Collection (Bristol), Makina Books (London & the South West)
This year, Counter is proud to present a week-long exhibition in the lead up to the book fair by Makina Books and Flo Brooks.
Counter is brought to you by an independent band of Plymouth-based artists. We are keeners, fans and DIY enthusiasts. Counter 2018 is supported by Arts Council England and G.F Smith. Counter is listed in Kevin Hunt’s Artist Led Hot 100 V.2 for a-n.
Ocean Studios, The Cooperage, Royal William Yard, Plymouth, PL1 3RP. www.counterplymouth.com #Counter2018
London and South Region of The Society of Bookbinders Book Arts Day 2018
Saturday 17 March 2018. (£10 members SoB, £15 non-members).
10:30am – 4pm with a brief break for lunch and held at The Congregational Chapel, Kelly Street, Kentish Town, London NW1 8PH. (Access and limited parking via Church Avenue, off of Kentish Town Road).Tea and coffee are available throughout the day and there are local cafés and sandwich shops within a few minutes’ walk.
The main aim of the day is to increase the knowledge of Book Arts amongst members and to encourage dialogues, and collaborative networking between Book Artists and Bookbinders.
The day will comprise:
An illustrated talk by Book Artist Tracey Bush, winner of the J Hewit and Sons Award for Excellence in Design in the 2017 International Bookbinding Competition, of The Society of Bookbinders.
A book arts fair presenting a variety of emerging and established book artists (many works will be for sale).
Demonstrations by a selection of the exhibiting artists.
A mini exhibition of Sónia Serrão’s personal collection of artists’ books collected over the last 20 years.
In 1995 Tracey Bush launched her first artist’s book The Lost Rivers of London at the London Artists’ Book Fair. She has exhibited regularly since then, and has most recently exhibited at the Small Publisher’s Fair in London. In 2014 Tracey’s work was featured in the museum show Of Green Leaf, Bird and Flower, Artists’ Books and the Natural World at the Yale Centre for British Art (with catalogue).Tracey will talk about one of the series of works featured in this exhibition: Nine Wild Plants. In 2016 Tracey was invited by Danny Aldred to be an artist in residence at the Publisher Hub at Winchester School of Art.
This led to the creation of the artists’ book Dusk, based on an A-Z of British Moths. Dusk won the J Hewit and Sons Award for Excellence in Design (Complete Book) in the 2017 International Bookbinding Competition, of The Society of Bookbinders. Tracey will talk about the development of the form and concept of this publication.
Tracey studied Illustration at BA level, then a Fine Art Printmaking MA at Camberwell College of Arts and Crafts in 1993-95. During this course she began to work with artists’ books and afterwards studied bookbinding with Nesta Davies at Bolt Court in London.
Sónia Serrão (Event Organiser) is an Artist and Bookbinder, an Art Educator for almost 30 years and an avid collector of Book Arts for over 20 years. She is also a Committee Member of the London and South Region of The Society of Bookbinders. Her practice is varied, including: Book Art, writing poetry, printing, photography, life drawing, restoration/upcycling and assemblage/installation. Her next Open Studios is 9-10th June 2018 at (0-31b) at www.thames-sidestudios.co.uk in London.
Contact Talitha Wachtelborn on t.wachtelborn@gmail.com for tickets to attend (£10 members SoB, £15 non-members).
http://www.societyofbookbinders.com/about/about.html
DB Now: Exhibition of Design Bindings at the Oxford Fine Press Book Fair 2018
Saturday 24 March (11am-6pm) – Sunday 25 March (10am – 5pm)
The Fine Press Book Association was formed by a group of individuals sharing common interests in the art of printing, the matching of worthwhile texts with significant images and artistic expression through the structure of a book. Its goal is to promote the appreciation of such books and encourage their production.
The Oxford Fine Press Book Fair is held on alternate years and exhibitors include presses, specialist book dealers, artists, trade suppliers, and related organisations. Over the weekend of the book fair Designer Bookbinders will have an exhibition showcasing contemporary designed book bindings by exhibiting members of DB, the principle society promoting British contemporary design bookbinding.
Admission for the two days is £5 and includes a catalogue. The Kassam Stadium Conference and Events Centre, Grenoble Road, Oxford, OX4 4XP.
http://www.designerbookbinders.org.uk/exhib/db_now/db_now.html
Make Mud Press Chapettes books launch and readings at Good Press, Glasgow,
Saturday 14 April 2018
Readings by:
Aimee Campbell (Glaswegian, published by Good Press)
Camilla Grudova (Canadian, published by Fitzcarraldo Editions)
Nell Osborne (English, who is completing a research PhD in experimental writing by women and intimacy)
Good Press, 5 St. Margaret’s Place, Glasgow, G1 5JY. Saturday 14 April, 3-6pm.
Make Mud Press is an independent letterpress publishers in London. From December 2017 to May 2018 Make Mud is hand-printing 1 Chapette book every month. 6 months and 6 women writers. Each book is letterpress-printed on an Arab Treadle Press with 1 piece of writing and 1 piece of linocut artwork. Each piece of artwork is hand printed into every book. Artwork by Jessica Jane Charleston. Each edition is hand bound and limited to 50.
The first three Chapettes will be celebrated at Good Press Gallery in Glasgow. (The second 3 will be celebrated in London in June.) Join us in celebration on Saturday 14 of April at Good Press from 3-6pm where Aimee, Camilla and Nell will read and sign books.
ARTISTS’ BOOKS NOW – First Event: HERE AND NOW
Mon 23 April, 6pm for 6.30, The Knowledge Centre, The British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB. Free but ticketed.
The world of artists’ books seems almost as brim full as the world itself. Every topic under the sun may be given the special attention of an artist’s immersion in it. Books made by artists are made to stimulate thought, to inspire, and simply to give pleasure.
Hosted by the British Library, the ARTISTS’ BOOKS NOW series will celebrate those qualities by thinking aloud with the books, their makers and their readers.
Curated by the book artists and researchers Egidija Čiricaitė and Sophie Loss and the librarians Jerry Jenkins and Richard Price each event will explore an aspect of the contemporary through a selection of books, presented in an accessible and enjoyable style by artists and commentators.
Coinciding with World Book Night, the first of the series will explore the meanings and pleasures of artists’ books in the contemporary scene, looking at the Here and Now of the world these books address. Participants include Eleanor Vonne Browne, artist and founder of bookshop and project space X Marks the Bökship, the visual artist and performer Lydia Julien, zine artist and librarian Holly Callaghan, the visual artist and graphic designer Danny Aldred, the artist and researcher Amanda Couch, the art librarian and researcher Gustavo Grandal Montero, and the artist and researcher John McDowall. More to be confirmed.
This is certainly for those with an interest in the artist’s book but it is also perfect for those who are new to the medium and intrigued by this expression of the contemporary in book form. For more information please contact jerry.jenkins@bl.uk More details will be on www.bl.uk/events/ shortly
Internet news
Publishing as an Artistic Toolbox: 1989–2017. A review by Robert Bolick of the exhibition curated by Luca Lo Pinto, which was shown at the Kunsthalle Wien (11/17-01/18). http://kunsthallewien.at/#/en/exhibitions/publishing-artistic-toolbox
You can read the review at: https://books-on-books.com/2018/01/31/bookmarking-book-art-publishing-as-an-artistic-toolbox-vienna-28-january2018/
You can also download a copy of the exhibition catalogue at: http://www.kunsthallewien.at/application/files/7015/0995/7750/Publishing_BOOKLET_EN.pdf
California Rare Book School – UCLA Department of Information Studies – History of the Book – Live Online. The History of the Book, a freely available course book based materials in UCLA’s Special Collections is now live online. http://hob.gseis.ucla.edu
The History of the Book is a networked resource focused on the production and reception of materials related to the history of the book and literacy technologies, broadly conceived. This ongoing project is being developed by Professor Johanna Drucker, working with staff and students based at UCLA to provide an online environment for research and learning. The project is pedagogical in its aims, but also, in its method. Some of the exhibit materials were developed by students in the MLIS programme in Information Studies at UCLA, and some by faculty or research scholars. We have partners in other institutions, and welcome queries and contributions to the development of this site ahead. In this beta version, we are introducing three exhibits and an outline for what will be a coursebook for an introductory series of lessons. https://hob.gseis.ucla.edu/
New Artists’ Publications
We will rule the world, a new artist’s book by Otto.
A new, pochoir printed, artist’s book about chickens. My screen printing workshop lies next to a free-range chicken farm and I often watch the birds and their behaviour. They frequently fly over the fence, and one day a chicken entered the workshop. After meeting the bird face to face I decided to make a book about chickens, as they are not usually given due recognition.
Otto is launching this book at the following events:
3-4 March at Pages, Leeds
24-25 March at the Fine Press Fair, Oxford
Edition of 25, hard bound, stencil painted. A longer text about the subject matter is printed on the cover flap. There will also be a smaller, screenprinted version of this book made as an open edition later on. £120 for the pochoir book, £20 for screenprinted booklet.
For more information or to purchase, please visit: http://www.ottographic.co.uk/books/recent/we-will-rule.html
New from Redfoxpress: Holiday Sandpapers Collected by Uwe Petruch.
Over the years Uwe Petruch collected hundreds of sandpapers from all over the world. In this book are some of the graphically most interesting pieces from his collection.
44 pages, 14 x 16 cm, hard cover, hand bound. Limited edition of 220 numbered copies. January 2018. £30. You can order this book with Paypal or with Amazon at http://www.redfoxpress.com/AB-uwe.html
You may also order by email at info@redfoxpress.com