Curator: Yaelle Amir

The ability of printed matter to alter and create new schools of thought and ways of life has long been established. Books and other publications often carry such weight that a mere evocation of their titles will unravel a host of emotions and ideas that can change the course of a discussion, or alter someone’s beliefs. They are used by the artists as social agents—intervening in public space to expose an audience to new opportunities and alternative concepts. The projects range from publishing and correspondence to performance and video documentation.

http://www.centerforbookarts.org/exhibits/archive/showdetail.asp?showID=220

Time: 1 June – 31 August 2012
Opening: 15 June 2012, 6:00 PM
Location: San Francisco Center for the Book
Austin/Burch Gallery
300 De Haro ST STE 334
San Francisco, CA 94103-5165
United States

Curator: Daisy Carlson

SFCB is proud to announce its summer exhibition in the Austin/Burch Gallery, Exploding the Codex, a group show featuring the works of over 40 book artists from the collection of Mary Austin, curated by Daisy Carlson. The show explores the theater of the book and storytelling through structure. These books go beyond the traditional format to unveil new ways of presenting and telling stories. Often theatrical or stage-like in their presentation, they pull the viewer into their individual dramas and diverse varieties of form and presentation.

The exhibition explores the ways in which a book’s size and dimensions determine our relationship to it and what it is trying to tell us. One can choose between the intimacy of a tiny journal, private and curious, easily hidden as if keeping a secret between reader and teller; or we may choose to be awed by a ceremoniously large book that engages us in alto, the spine boasting of a grand celebration. The size, structure, and shape are the book’s octave.

Exploding the Codex explores information and presentation: in our lifetime, we have seen an incredible change in the way information is presented. As information becomes digitized, our relationship to information and access is evolving. The form of information is a large part of how we interpret the story. Despite the proliferation of digital information, there will always be room in our lives for theater, and for the privacy of the printed word and the luxury of paper between our fingertips. Books are monuments to consciousness and begin collective conversations that evolve our culture and our perception of ourselves in the world. As the Codex explodes so does our perception of our place in the world.

More info: http://sfcb.org/events/exhibitions/future-exhibitions

In the 2nd International Printmaking Symposium will be exhibited 6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012 in time 27 September – 4 November 2012.

The Symposium

The Print Association Bentlage and the cultural institution Kloster Bentlage in Rheine Germany, present from the 27th – 30th September 2012 the 2nd International Printmaking Symposium, in cooperation with many partners, an international symposium and exhibition program of contemporary printmaking.

The symposium will function again as international platform to pose questions about aesthetic, philosophical and cultural as well as but also technical influences.
New in this context is, the 2nd Printmaking Symposium will be the location of major publishers, galleries, museums and trade, which illuminate the subject of printmaking from the economic side.

Furthermore it will raise questions about educational strategies with regards to printmaking in contemporary times.

Info: http://www.snap2012.de/

Press Conference: 5 p.m., 12 April 2012 in the Gallery “Titanikas”, Vilnius

Opening of the Exhibition: 6 p.m., 12 April 2012 in the Gallery “Titanikas”

Exhibition time: 12 April – 28 April 2012
Location: Gallery “Titanikas”, Vilnius, Lithuania
Address of the Gallery: Maironio Street 3, Vilnius

Poster of the 6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012

Time & Location:
3 February – 2 March 2012, “Scuola Internazionale di Grafica”, Venice, Italy;
15 March – 18 March 2012, Leipzig Book Fair, Germany;
12 April – 28 April 2012, Gallery “Titanikas”, Vilnius, Lithuania;
27 September – 4 November 2012, Kloster Bentlage, Rheine, Germany; info: http://www.snap2012.de/

International Jury:
Joseph Johannes Visser, The Netherlands;
Hanne Matthiesen,  Denmark;
Deirdre Kelly, Italy / U.K.;
Kestutis Vasiliunas, Lithuania.

Organiser of the Triennial: Circle “Bokartas”

Curator: Kestutis Vasiliunas

In Cooperation with:
Vilnius Academy of Arts, Lithuania;
Kloster Bentlage gGmbH, Germany;
Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, Venice, Italy;
IAKH – Internationale Ausstellung für Künstlerbücher und Handpressendrucke, Leipzig, Germany.

Sponsor: The Culture Support Foundation, Lithuania

Exhibition time: 15 – 18 March 2012
Location: Leipzig Book Fair, Globus Galerie, “Internationale Ausstellung für Künstlerbücher und Handpressendrucke” ( IAKH ), Halle 3, H501, Leipzig, Germany

More pictures from Leipzig

Organiser of the 6th Triennial: Circle “Bokartas”

Curator: Kestutis Vasiliunas

In Cooperation with:

Vilnius Academy of Arts, Lithuania;
Kloster Bentlage gGmbH, Germany;
Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, Venice, Italy;
IAKH – Internationale Ausstellung für Künstlerbücher und Handpressendrucke, Leipzig, Germany.

Time: 4 – 31 March 2012
Location: Fries Grafisch Museum, Het Grafisch Kabinet
Address: Geelgietersstraat 1-11, 8501 CA Joure, The Netherlands

Curator: Joseph Johannes Visser

An artist Chang Soo Kim suggests two concepts. First one is flickering. He believes it is based on the changing of visual experience resulted from the development of electronic / digital devices. This is a new way of visual recognition in response to flickering digital devices. Second one is synthespians. This is used along with the first one. Synthespians is a new terminology meaning a new technology that links the actual movement of people or animals to computer image. Based on these concepts, elements of face figures of people lead to elements of meaning. This way, he presents many different themes from city life to city people. ­ quoted from the annual of the Korean Contemporary Printmakers Association 2006.

http://www.josephjohnvisser.nl/GrafKabChangS/GrafKabChangSoo.html

An artist Chang Soo Kim makes an artists books, participated in several International Artist’s Book Triennials. In 2009 participated in the “Artist’s Book Workshop 2009″ in Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts.

http://vasiliunas.arts.lt/news/workshop/

The State Library of Victoria’s 2012 exhibition Love and devotion: from Persia and beyond celebrates the beauty of Persian manuscripts and the stories of human and divine love told through their pages from the early 11th century on.

Romantic tales were copied and sometimes reinterpreted over time, and reached far beyond the borders of Iran. The universal themes of Persian narrative and mystical poetry appealed especially to audiences in Mughal India and Ottoman Turkey, and eventually to audiences in the West. Transcending time and place, these stories continue to resonate today and to be retold through contemporary literature and popular culture.

Persian poetry from the secular tradition flourished in the princely courts of Iran, where illustrated manuscripts were crafted for elite patrons. Today, these provide viewers with the opportunity to experience examples of Persian calligraphy, illumination and miniature painting from the 13th to 18th centuries, one of the richest periods in the history of the book. Many stories from this period were embraced not only in the princely courts but in all sectors of society, told within families and at community gatherings.

The idea of Persia has long fascinated Western minds. From the Middle Ages on, knowledge of Persia gradually expanded as a result of increased contact through trade, travel and diplomacy. Writers in Europe, such as Chaucer, Dante and Shakespeare, reflected this understanding in the parallels with Persian literature and shared symbolism evident in their plays, poetry and prose.

Love and devotion showcases a rich selection of manuscripts from the world-renowned collection of the Bodleian Libraries of the University of Oxford, along with rare works from the State Library of Victoria and other Australian collections.

The Bodleian Library’s founding in 1602 coincided with a time of increasing interest in the East, and its holdings later increased through the acquisition of works once owned by renowned scholar-collectors such as Archbishop Laud, Francis Douce, JB Elliott, Sir William Ouseley and Sir Gore Ouseley. The foresight and generosity of such collectors and institutions have enabled the preservation of these works for future generations.

http://exhibitions.slv.vic.gov.au/love-and-devotion

Dear Friends in Art,

We have pleasure to invite you on the opening of the “6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012″ in Leipzig.

Exhibition time: 15 – 18 March 2012
Location: Leipzig Book Fair, Globus Galerie, “Internationale Ausstellung für Künstlerbücher und Handpressendrucke” ( IAKH ), Halle 3, H501, Leipzig, Germany

Boss of the Globus Galerie – Jost Braun

Theresa Easton

Time: 1 February – 1 March 2012
Location: Tom Trusky cabinets at the Centre For Fine Print Reserach, University of West of England

Curator: Theresa Easton

From around the country The Sunderland Book Project brings together artists, designers, comic makers, printmakers and those new to artist’s book making.  The project brief asks participants to make a book, (using whatever production methods required) on the subject of the City of Sunderland.

Showing alongside The Sunderland Book Project is a collection of artist’s bookwork from Beijing from the private collection of established artist’s bookmaker, Sumi Perera, as well as work from the collection of Sarah Bodman, Research Fellow in Artist’s Book at the University of West of Englandand current book work in glass and paper from Theresa Easton.

More info

Time: 18 January – 12 February 2012

Location: Boo-Hooray Gallery
265 Canal St, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10013

“Artists’ book” is a troublesome term. There seems to be no single well-understood or generally-accepted working definition. Say “artists’ book” in general conversation and you’ll likely get a blank look, if not outright confusion; even with a specialized audience of bibliophiles, or art world cognoscenti, it may be necessary to clarify exactly what you mean…

Artists’ Book Not Artists’ Book is an exhibition co-curated by Johan Kugelberg and Jeremy Sanders. In it are about one hundred books and of course all of them either are, or are not, artists’ books, but whether it is even possible to say which ones fall into which category is a matter that’s not entirely clear. And in any case, it’s likely no two viewers would draw exactly the same conclusions.

Artists’ Book Not Artists’ Book includes work by Chris Burden, Ira Cohen, Richard Meltzer, John Baldessari, Seth Price, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Richard Hell, Tina Lhotsky, Sue Williams, Tom Sachs, Richard Prince, William Gibson, David Wojnarowicz, Dara Birnbaum, Jim Shaw, Ed Ruscha, Sean Landers, and many others (not to mention, Various, Anonymous, and Unknown).

more info

Dear Friends in Art,

We have pleasure to invite you on the opening of the “6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012″ in Venice.

Exhibition time: 3 February – 2 March 2012
Opening of the Exhibition: 3 February 2012, 6 p.m.
Location:

“Scuola Internazionale di Grafica”, Venice, Italy

Address: Cannaregio 1798, Venice 30121
Tel.: +39-041-721-950

Artists selected for the Exhibition in Venice:

Sandra Berg Mozard, Sweden
Silvia Braida, Kathy Shank Frate, Zelda Rocchi, Italy
Andra’s Butak, Hungary
Loretta Cappanera, Italy
Fabia Livia de Carvalho, Germany
Elisabetta Diamanti, Italy
Tatiana Discenko, Lithuania
Vittorio Fava, Italy
Roberto Gianinetti, Italy
Brigitte Gmachreich-Jünemann, Germany
Wuon-Gean Ho, U.K.
Sun Young Kang, U.S.A.
Olof Kangas, Finland
Maila Kaos, Estonia
Lucas Kunz, Germany
Dalia Lopez Madrona, Sweden
Else Juhl Lundhus, Denmark
Elisa Pellacani, Italy
R. Prost, U.S.A.
Claire Jeanine Satin, U.S.A.
Aine Scannell, Scotland
Uwe Schloen, Germany
Fumiko Shinkai, Japan
Sigurborg Stefansdottir, Iceland
Silvia Ungaro, Italy

Sincerely,

Kestutis Vasiliunas
curator of the Triennial

Time: 25 May – 1 August 2012
Deadline: 6 April 2012
Fee: $25 for up to two entries

Location:
Paper Circle [Southeast Ohio's Center for Paper and Book Arts]
35 W Columbus/PO Box 117
Nelsonville, Ohio 45764
U.S.A.

Call for entries for a juried exhibition to be held at Paper Circle in Nelsonville, Ohio. “In, On, Of Paper” will be held from May 25, 2012 – August 1, 2012. Entry is open to any original work in, on, or of paper including handmade paper, paper sculpture, artist’s books, cut paper, stitched paper or works on paper. This year’s juror is Eileen Wallace. Work will be juried from digital images only.

“In, On, Of Paper” Juried Exhibition is open to paper artists residing in the US who are at least 18 years old.

Info: Paper Circle

Time:  17 May – 5 August 2012
Location: Limfjordscentret Doverodde Købmandsgård, Fjordstræde 1, DK-7760 Hurup Thy, Denmark
Deadline: 10 April 2012

Theme: Udkant / On the margins
‘Udkant’ – in Danish can mean being on the edge of what is allowed – being furthest away from the centre – or on the edge of a remote place like a forest.

Every country, every place has its places on the margins. For some time now, the word has been used in conjunction with Denmark ‘Udkantsdanmark’ – and from being a fairly neutral descriptive word it has now assumed a very negative connotation, due to the Danish media using it to describe places in the country which are so far from the larger towns that no one really wants to go or live there, and where life in general has supposedly come to a standstill – Doverodde could be seen as one of these places according to the media and the government.

Artists’ books / Book Art can also be seen to be an art form on the margins perhaps of more established art forms in comparison to painting, sculpture, print etc.
Margins of a book are the outer edges of the pages.

Theme: “Love”

Time & Location:
3 February – 2 March 2012, “Scuola Internazionale di Grafica”, Venice, Italy;
15 March – 18 March 2012, Leipzig Book Fair, Germany;
12 April – 28 April 2012, Gallery “Titanikas”, Vilnius, Lithuania;
22 September – 22 October 2012, Kloster Bentlage, Rheine, Germany;

Artists Selected for the 6th International Artist’s Book Triennial

About theme “Love”:

“If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” 1Cor 13,1-3.

“Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love may also be described as actions towards others (or oneself) based on compassion, or as actions towards others based on affection.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love

History of the 6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012:

The 6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012 is organized as an ongoing artist’s book project.

The 1st International Artist’s Book Triennial took part in 1997, in Gallery “Kaire Desine”. The theme of it was “Diary: Eight Days”. 65 artists from 13 countries took part in the Triennial.

The 2nd International Artist’s Book Triennial took part in 2000, in Gallery “Arka” and in “Galerie 5020” in Salzburg. The theme of it was “Apocalypse”. 138 artists from 29 countries took part in the Triennial.

The 3rd International Artist’s Book Triennial took part in 2003, in the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius. The theme of it was “23 Sins”. 118 artists from 37 countries took part in the Triennial. After the exhibition in Vilnius the Triennial was showed in 2004 in Frankfurt Art Fair in Frankfurt on Main, Germany; in 2004 in Thomas Mannas’ House in Nida, Lithuania; in 2004 in Gallery “Le Carre” in Lille, France;

The 4th International Artist’s Book Triennial took part in 2006, in the Gallery “Arka” in Vilnius. The theme of it was “Rabbit and House”. 130 artists from 29 countries took part in the Triennial. After the exhibition in Vilnius the Triennial was showed in 2007 in Leipzig Book Fair in Leipzig, Germany and in Seoul International Book Arts Fair, South Korea.

The 5th International Artist’s Book Triennial took part in 2009. The theme of it was “Text”. For the Triennial jury selected 131 artists from 34 countries. The Triennial was showed in Leipzig Book Fair, in Germany; in Gallery “Arka”, in Vilnius; in Art Centre Silkeborg Bad, in Silkeborg, Denmark; in “Hübner Bokform”, in Halmstad, Sweden; in “Scuola Internazionale di Grafica”, in Venice, Italy;

More info

Organiser of the Triennial:
Circle “Bokartas”

In Cooperation with:
Vilnius Academy of Arts, Lithuania;
Kloster Bentlage gGmbH, Germany;
Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, Venice, Italy;
IAKH – Internationale Ausstellung für Künstlerbücher und Handpressendrucke, Leipzig, Germany.

Curator of the Triennial:
Kestutis Vasiliunas

The international jury selected artists for the 6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012.

List of selected artists for the 6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012:

Name Surname, Country

Zahra Abduhameed BuAli, Saudi Arabia
Syed Faraz Ali, Pakistan
Mayumi Arakawa, Japan
Lyn Ashby, Australia
Sandra Berg Mozard, Sweden
Silvia Braida, Kathy Shank Frate, Zelda Rocchi, Italy
Frances Maria Breen, Austria
Andra’s Butak, Hungary
Loretta Cappanera, Italy
Antonio Claudio Carvalho, Brazil
Wayne Crothers, Australia
Fabia Livia de Carvalho, Germany
Raphael Decoster, Belgium
Virginija Degeniene, Lithuania
Margarethe Denk, Switzerland
Elisabetta    Diamanti, Italy
Synnove Dickhoff, Finland
Inger Agnete Diemer, Denmark
Tatiana Discenko, Lithuania
Krassimira Drenska, Switzerland
Matas Duda, Lithuania
Vittorio Fava, Italy
Joseph J. Field, U.K.
Mirabel Fitzgerald, Australia
Ghassan Ghaib, Iraq
Roberto Gianinetti, Italy
Ania Gilmore, Annie Zeybekoglu, USA
Brigitte Gmachreich-Jünemann, Germany
Su Grierson, U.K.
Elena Grudzinskaite, Lithuania
Grupo Gralha Azul,Brazil
Laura Guoke, Lithuania
Nancy Hart, USA
Marco Henkenjohann, Maren Rombold, Germany
Candace Hicks, USA
Wuon-Gean Ho, U.K.
Anne-Maree Hunter, Australia
Maja Ingerslev, Denmark
Rasa Januleviciute, Lithuania
Lis Rejnert Jensen, Denmark
Sun Young Kang, USA
Olof Kangas, Finland
Maila Kaos, Estonia
Marlen Karletidou, Cyprus
Garry Kaulitz, USA
Rimvydas Kepezinskas, Lithuania
Lucas Kunz, Germany
Lorraine Kwan, Canada
Mario Lagos, Chile
Marianne Laimer Molin, Sweden
Odine Lang, Germany
Stine Larsen, Denmark
Dalia Lopez Madrona, Sweden
Else Juhl Lundhus, Denmark
Johann Maierhofer, Germany
Hanne Matthiesen, Bridgette Guerzon Mills, Denmark
Tatiana Mesa Pajan, Cuba
Albena Mihaylova, Switzerland
Janis Rudolfs Nedela, Australia
Kristina Norvilaite, Lithuania
Gisela Oberbeck, Germany
Oficina do Livro de Artista, Brazil
Mette Olsen, Denmark
Monica Oppen, Australia
Jaana Päeva, Estonia
Elisa Pellacani, Italy
Katriona S. W. Persson, Sweden
Katharina Pieper, Germany
R. Prost, USA
Gerda Ritzmann-Luger, Switzerland
Royal Institute of Art, Sweden
Angeline Rood, Netherlands
Claire Jeanine Satin, USA
Christina Sauer, Germany
Aine Scannell, Scotland
Uwe Schloen, Germany
Anka Schmidt, Poland
Mohammad Shaqdih, Jordan
Ema Shin, Japan
Fumiko Shinkai, Japan
Anna Snaedis Sigmarsdottir, Iceland
Vivian Chan Simao, Canada
Nena Skoko, Serbia
Sigurborg Stefansdottir, Iceland
Dan Steffan, Anne Monteil-Bauer, France
Randi Strand, Norway
Josephine Tabbert, Germany
Vaso Tsonoglou, Greece
Silvia Ungaro, Italy
Roberta Vaigeltaite, Lithuania
Petra Varl, Slovenia
Kestutis Vasiliunas, Lithuania
Joseph Johannes Visser, The Netherlands
Stefanie C. Zurn, Germany

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

All artists not being accepted for the Triennial will soon (within two months time) see their books returned. The catalogue of the 6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012 will be send to you when printed (March-April 2012).

We are sorry for artists whose works – by this jury – have not been accepted for the 6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012. We hope that you will not lose contact with us.

Jury:

Joseph Johannes Visser, The Netherlands;
Hanne Matthiesen,  Denmark;
Deirdre Kelly, Italy / U.K.;
Kestutis Vasiliunas, Lithuania.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! All the best to you in the 2012!

Kestutis Vasiliunas
curator of the Triennial

The jurors from the left to the right:

Kestutis Vasiliunas, Lithuania;
Deirdre Kelly, Italy / U.K.;
Hanne Matthiesen,  Denmark;
Joseph Johannes Visser, The Netherlands.

The jurors started to work on selecting the books for the Triennial. We say many thanks to all artists who sent books for the 6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012, who trusted in us.

The jury planed to make as good an exhibition as possible, thus selecting the best books for the Triennial.

On 9th of December to Vilnius arrive jury members Joseph Johannes Visser from the Netherlands, Hanne Matthiesen from Denmark and Deirdre Kelly from Italy.

In Vilnius they not only select the books for the 6th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2012, but also will give lectures at Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts.

The theme of Prof. Joseph Johanne Visser is “The Geo Milev – SEPTEMVRI Project”. Short description of the theme: “An artist’s-book with the complete poem in linocut-prints & the new translations in English and Dutch by Joseph J. Visser (that is myself), and in German by Monika Goetze of ‘SEPTEMVRI’, a Poem by Geo Milev (Bulgaria, 1885 – 1925), a true modern-European philosopher, as it was executed and published in 2011 in a cooperative effort of ‘carpe plumbum’, Leipzig, Germany and ‘Atelier It Plein 19′ – Easterlittens, The Netherlands. The poem is a cry for a humane society, as a reaction against the violence used by government-forces when bringing down the September-uprising against the self-appointed fascist regime”.

The theme of Prof. Hanne Matthiesen is “Art as Communication”. Short description of the theme: “Reflections on ideas, concepts and resources. A presentation of passed, as well as ongoing works, projects and collaborations”. She also plane to make the Artist’s Book Workshop for students from Graphic department on theme: “From Recycled cardboard – to Artist’s Book”.

 
Curated by Kyle Schlesinger
Time: 16 February – 7 April 2012
Location: Center for Book & Paper Arts, Chicago, USA

The exhibition features books, paintings, collages, periodicals, and ephemera that explore fundamental relationships between: form and content; seeing and reading; writing and drawing; and the extraordinary occasions when these things and activities fuse, introducing a third element.  This exhibition was previously mounted at the New York Center for the Book among other venues.

Image: First Name of Rita Hayworth’s Theory, 1971. Ron Padgett and George Schneeman

Poets, artists and collaborators include Wallace Berman, Joe Brainard, Robert Creeley, Jim Dine, Johanna Drucker, Philip Guston, Joanne Kyger, Emily McVarish, Karen Randall, Larry Rivers, George Schneeman, and many more. Together they share in the common objective of bringing bold new writing into print where commercial presses fear to tread, and to do so with flair, imagination and intelligence.

Information: http://www.colum.edu/Academics/interarts//book-and-paper/index.php

Artists Books

Time: 13-17 June 2012
Location: “Art Basel”, Basel, Switzerland

The 2011 special show highlights Artists’ Photography Books. These often luxurious publications offer their authors the advantage of reducing ‘loss’ in the interpretation of their works to a minimum, thanks to the natural affinities between re-production techniques and the photographic medium. But we have seen the genre used for very different purposes too: conceptual publications in the manner of Ed Ruscha’s famous series of books; photographs recreated on the printed page, as in several Japanese publications using the possibilities of offset printing to transcend the notion of simple ’reproduction’; or appropriation through hybridization with other typologies (as in the works of Wolfgang Tillmans).

Bringing together various ‘historical’ examples and the latest experiments by international authors and publishers, the exhibition also offers a new source for the numerous hard-to-find works little concerned with classic distribution. In collaboration with AA Bronson (Printed Matter) and Christoph Schifferli (Zurich), the curator thus offers the public access to a limited supply of books (historical or contemporary) provided by the publishers, specialized booksellers, collectors, or artists, thereby encouraging fresh dissemination of these projects within the exhibition setting.

This exhibition showcases a stunning array of artists books and livres d’artistes produced by Townsville’s Lyre Bird Press during the 1990s and early 2000s, held in the Mackay Regional Council Collection. Established by renowned printmakers Tate Adams and Ron McBurnie, the press produced work by many of Australia’s leading printmakers including George Baldessin, Fred Williams, Jan Senbergs and John Brack.

Time: 23 September – 29 October 2011
Location: 23 Sandy Gallery, Portland. Oregon, U.S.A.

Book and paper artists have the ability to work with an enviable palette of artistic materials and techniques—including traditional handicrafts. Think knitting, embroidery, sewing, beading, felting, needlework, stitching, quilting and other myriad possibilities. Combine these techniques and materials with a strong concept, meaningful content or a compelling narrative and we have a new era in the art and fine craft of book and paper.

Come explore how artists are using these crafts in the book and paper arts realm. How do artists utilize these techniques, materials or subjects as a way to round out, illustrate or compliment a central concept? Can we dispel the myth that the handicrafts don’t have any part in meaningful art?”

Uncommon Threads showcases 47 artists from across the United States plus the UK, Canada and Argentina. Featured are 51 finely crafted works, from artist books to broadsides to blank books chosen from 227 works submitted to our call for entries.

The Reva and David Logan Gallery of Illustrated Books was one of David Logan’s favorite things. In 1998, Logan and his wife, Reva, gave their outstanding collection of more than 300 modern artist books to the Fine Arts Museums; their generous gift was celebrated that year in a newly constructed gallery named for them at the Legion of Honor. Since then, the gallery has been devoted to exhibitions celebrating the excellence and diversity of the artist book, a unique art form that combines text with art (usually in the form of original prints) to form a unified whole.

Favorite Things honors the memory of David Logan, who died earlier this year and who enthusiastically supported museum efforts to showcase artist books, whether from his own collection or new acquisitions. Highlights represent the Logans’ early collecting efforts in the 1970s, including the first book acquired by the couple, Joan Miró’s ? toute épreuve (1958), the artist’s greatest achievement in his distinguished career as a book illustrator and an auspicious beginning for the Logan collection.

Janis Nedela “Typo”

Gallery East and the City of Swan invite entries in the 2012 Artists’ Book Exhibition. Selected work will be exhibited at Gallery East, North Fremantle and the Midland Junction Art Centre from 13 January. The 2012 exhibition will be shown in full on Gallery East’s web site and be accompanied by an illustrated catalogue.

Time: 13 January – 5 February 2012. Official Opening: 6pm Friday 13 January 2012
Location: Midland Junction Arts Centre (MJAC), 276 Great Eastern Highway (Cnr Cale St), Midland, Western Australia

Time: 13 January – 5 February 2012. Official Opening: 6pm Sunday 15 January 2012
Location: Gallery East, 94 Stirling Highway, North Fremantle, Western Australia 6159
T: 08 9336 6231 F: 08 9336 2678 http://www.galleryeast.com.au/

Directors: David Forrest & Janis Nedela

Deadline: 15 November 2011

The full list of participating artists can be viewed on   http://www.galleryeast.com.au/general/book/book1.htm

Successful entries will be notified by 1 December 2011

Selected work to arrive by 2 January 2012

The Conditions can be downloaded from http://www.galleryeast.com.au/general/book/Conditions3.pdf

Wood Type, Evolved defines a global, burgeoning mode of activity in which contemporary artists are producing artwork through the development of new experimental printing techniques based on traditional letterpress materials—particularly wood type.

Why wood type, why now?  While the widespread industrial production of wood type dates from 1827 into the late 1970s, a recent resurgence in letterpress printing combined with the increasing availability of commercially “obsolete” production equipment has created room for dialogue and opportunity.  This has fueled experimentation in artist studios, presses and print shops around the world.

Through the display of artwork and examples of printing surfaces, Wood Type, Evolved will also reveal how laser cut, hand engraved, acrylic and otherwise manipulated types are becoming ways to engage a traditional style exemplified by wood type through contemporary fabrication techniques.

Artists include David Wolske, Dafi Kühne, Bethany Heck, Brad Vetter, Alex Cooper, Rose Gridneff and David Shields.

Expermental films will be on view by Judith Poirier and Barbara Tetenbaum.

KALEID editions returns to the Whitechapel Gallery with a new selection of artists’ books and workshops for this years London Art Book Fair, from Friday the 23th to Sunday the 25th September 2011. Find us at the front on the right handside of the ground floor.

Artists:

Robert Battams
Alex Bettler
Alison Bernal
Greet Billet
Meghana Bisineer
Victoria Browne
Antonio Claudio Carvalho
Sue Corke &
Joel Porter

Alex Czinczel
Godfried Donkor
Stephen Fowler
Katie Goutefangea
Oona Grimes
Marcelle Hanselaar
Lucy Harrison
Elizabeth Jackson
Katherine Jones

Alex Knell
Serena Korda
Nick Morley
Melissa Price
Dolores de Sade
Dawn Scarfe
Erin K Schmidt
Martin Sexton
Sam Winston

Time & Location:
5 December – 25 December 2006, Gallery “Arka”, Vilnius, Lithuania;
22 March – 25 March, 2007, Leipzig Book Fair, Germany;
1 June – 6 June 2007, Seoul International Book Arts Fair, South Korea.

While opening one box after another, one envelope after another envelope, I took out artist’s books of different sizes and formats. These are the books that arrived at the 4th International Artist’s Book Triennial in Vilnius. I was overwhelmed with exciting feeling when 200 artists from 35 different countries of the world have sent the books created for the very specific theme of the exhibition; especially, when the theme is such unusual one “Rabbit & House”. Hence, we have 3 cubic metres of books on rabbits and houses. But, weren’t strange the themes of the previous triennials: “Diary: Eight Days”, “Apocalypse”, or “23 Sins”? Might it be so that it is namely the theme that is the hot feature provoking artists to create and participate at the exhibition? Have they noted the correlation of the topics?

If we take a look at the catalogues of the three first Artist’s Book Triennials, we would see that the cover of one of the catalogues is red, the other – yellow, and the third cover is green. Yellow, green and red are the colours of the Lithuanian flag. Lithuania is among the European Roman Catholic countries. The themes of all the first three triennials are associated with Christian values and search for them. The theme of the first Artist’s Book Triennial was “Diary: Eight Days”. Eight days are seven days plus one day. The seven days took to create the World. And isn’t it the eighth day when live we, those who will destroy this wonderful World just in one God’s day?

The theme of the second Artist’s Book Triennial that took place in 2000 bore the name “Apocalypse”. The exhibition held at the turn of centuries should have inevitably been named like this. The very timing gave a unique occasion to at long last find and read through the Revelation to John. More than one must have been amazed how much this Book of Revelation says the things that are relevant to our time, cause fear or at least make us take a pause and think.

The theme of the third Artist’s Book Triennial that took place in 2003 was named “23 Sins”. I received numerous questions from artists “May I take part at the exhibition if I’m not a believer?”, “What do these 23 sins mean, if I know seven, eight or eleven sins?”… Perhaps, it would be possible to relate the number 23 with the year 2003, if these two zeros between 2 and 3 were deleted, or a notice would have been taken that it was the third triennial. Things are much simpler, however, 23 sins is just another successful provocation, which made the artists to explore existential problems, and delve into own and social downfalls. As many as 261 artists from 41 countries sent their artist’s books for the exhibition; and this is not strange, as they are the “salt” in this consumer “business” world.

Now, let’s take a glance at the colour of the catalogue jacket of the fourth Artist’s Book Triennial of 2006. The colour is blue. This is a colour of Europe, a Europe “free” and “got rid” of Christian values. The Europe, which levels down the longstanding old cultures and traditions that eliminate limits between the good and the bad. The Europe that is fast moving into a Sodom. The theme of this year exhibitions is “Rabbit & House”. A rabbit and a house represent sensuality and materialism, salacity and pragmatism. Thus, the theme of the exhibition is, alas, not about the rabbits from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”… The artists, however, are neither politicians nor moralists. To most of them “a rabbit and a house” is just a rabbit and a house. So, it is not surprising that the whole exhibition was kind of very much ‘rabbitlike’, just as it should be before the Easter time…

Having made a brief overview of the exhibition themes, now let’s take a short look at these three cubic metres of art.

At the fourth Artist’s Book Triennial, contrariwise to the exhibitions held three years ago, in addition to ‘paper’ books made by means of classical graphic techniques, including wood engraving, silk-screen printing or lithographic printing, the current exhibition displays a number of works made using mixed techniques by combining facilities of digital printing with drawing, collage, object, etc. Ideas materialise in diverse shapes, and it absolutely does not matter what forms of expression are used in a book. Still, the foremost thing in the artist’s book creation process remains the classical relation of the range and composition of proportions, rhythm, space and various materials. Thereby, whether it is ‘bibliophile’ books, experimental ones or books-objects, – they all help reveal the wonderful and mysterious world of the artist’s book by supplementing and contrasting with each other.

Kestutis Vasiliunas
Curator

Time: 22 March – 25 March 2007
Location: Leipzig Book Fair, Germany

Time: 1 June – 6 June 2007
Location: Seoul International Book Arts Fair, South Korea

more pictures from Korea

The next edition of the “Artist’s Book and Small Editions Festival” will take place, as in previous years, on April 23, 2012 (the World Book and Copyright Day 2012) in Barcelona and then it will move around several different venues in the following year.

The Festival (curated by Elisa Pellacani supported by the efforts of the members and collaborators of ILDE, the cultural association that organises the festival) has now reached the fifth edition; the Festival aims at being a point of exchange and information about the world of artist’s books; authors and smaller publishers are invited to participate and to submit a new, previously unreleased book made for the festival. “Artist’s books” means editorial artefacts, small-run editions (more than one copy may be submitted), object books and other artistic expressions related to the art of “book making”. The authors are free to choose any material, technique and content of the works which shall however be inspired by one of the following issues: freedom, memory, elsewhere places, integration, playing, environment.

info@ilde.info and epellacani@yahoo.it

Elisa Pellacani
ILDE Cultural Association

Along with the main exposition of the 2nd International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius 2000, a satellite exhibition of Calligraphic Artist's Book was arranged. 17 artists from Switzerland, Spain, Hungary, Russia, Germany, Estonia, Bulgaria, the USA and Lithuania created calligraphic artist's books on the Apocalypse theme. This original and greatly concentrated collection included classical, roller, Jewish object type books, le parello, a book – box (the Concord Chest), a star book, a book – palm leaves and others. Some of them are created employing different sorts of paper and a way of writing or drawing the text, in others the letters are embroidered on fabric or leather, modelled from paper mass, written in a silver pen on palm leaves and bent grass, which rolled up and "shut" with all the text when they dried up. An artist from Bulgaria sent a book baked from bread dough with imprinted letters. The variety of calligraphic books amazed not only the spectators, but also artists and calligraphists.

Kestutis Vasiliunas
curato
 

The 2nd International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius 2000 was exhibited in the Gallery 5020, in Salzburg, Austria. A coordinator of the 2nd International Artist's Book Triennial in Austria, Martin Gredler wrote in the catalog:

"Obviously, the medium of the book takes the central part in the development of the European culture; to begin with structural conception and, finally, bearing in mind the technique of producing and processing, the book becomes the symbol of the structure of knowledge and education. As reserve of information expressed by letterpress and images, it is, on the other hand, considered an object that was destined to become the entrance to the perception of the world, the organizer of the visual and the perceptible, the key element and metaphor of transmission. The Artist's Book aspires to dwell in frames of the common book as well as broadens them; Artist's Books, as works of art, possess their own rules, no more dependent on the bonds of narration or illustration and are freed from the linearity of folding and turning page, though sometimes remind it. As a work of art, the Artist's Book surpasses itself and admits itself as a motive for itself – a book as a motive (stimulus) for a book. This impression is emphasized by the Artist's Books that ignore the common three-dimensional form and project a new space model. There is a striking contrast between the virtual choice of the desired form and traditional canons of the book."

Time & Location:
2 November – 28 November 2000, Gallery “Arka”, Vilnius, Lithuania;
10 January – 3 February 2001, Gallery 5020, Salzburg, Austria.

Organiser of the Exhibition: Circle “Bokartas”;

In the year 2000 the 2nd International Artist‘s Book Triennial Vilnius 2000  took place with 150 artists from 29 countries: if to mention Japan, Korea, Australia, almost all European countries, Scandinavia, the USA and Canada for example. Afterwards the triennial was moved to Salzburg, Austria.

The theme of the 2nd International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2000 was “Apocalypse”. There could be no other name to an exhibition which was happening in the interface of the centuries. At long last the interface gave the opportunity to read the “Apocalypse of John”. It is part of the Bible – a holy book for the Christians – which speaks about the end of the world. Probably not only one was surprised, at how much it resembles our times, what scares us or at least makes us reflect upon it. So, some of the artists were immersed in religious and cultural apocalyptic meditations, others went deeper into the experiences of their nation or those of “hot spots of the world”, as well as of their own or their families.

Along with the main exposition of the Triennial, a satellite exhibition of Calligraphic Artist’s Book was arranged. 17 artists from Switzerland, Spain, Hungary, Russia, Germany, Estonia, Bulgaria, the USA and Lithuania created calligraphic artist’s books on the “Apocalypse” theme.

The majority of the exhibited books are limited – edition or unique artist’s books. I think that an intimate approach to the book created by the artist’s hands but not made by a master is one of the principle features peculiar to the Triennial. The books, which witness not only their unconventional forms and conceptual solutions also, radiate a spiritual energy. Similar exhibitions held in others countries or the fairs of the artist’s books are dominated by popular writers’ books – “livre d’artiste”, perfectly well illustrated and bound, issued in a limited number of copies.

The versatility of the Triennial’s exhibits is shown by the forms of the artist’s books: books-albums, books-rolls, Chinese books, books-sculptures, books-pictures, books-objects, bibliophile books, Tibetan books, books-folders (le parello), Jewish books, calligraphic and typographic books, books-installations, video books, books-boxes, books-tunnels, etc.

All the exhibited works can be devited into two major groups. The first group included the artist’s books with a classical structure and form of the book. One can “read” them leafing the pages or by way to bending out a small “harmonica”. The majority of them are paper books (of hand-made paper), where the image (and the text) is imprinted from a wooden board, linoleum, a zinc cliché and draw in acrylic, oil or other paints. Sometimes artists employ collage or transfer the image from a computer, or exploits all the mentioned media (and not mentioned). In frequent case they have “insets” such pebbles, shells, plants, ribbons, wax and a great many of other wonderful small things.

The artist’s idea as expressed in an active form. The theme is developed on a linear principle of a growing tension or through separate propositions (questions, exclamations).

The second numerous group of books contains books-objects, where the idea of the book is retained, or the artists make use even of the book itself. However, here it is only a tool, form, material, which render the artist’s original idea. They vary from miniature books, which coil up forming a box like a tape wounds round a cassette, to books – shelves, covered by cement and weighing some 200 kg or 4 meter high books-installations. They are hanging books-chandeliers, books-doors, book-boxes, ceramic, mosaic and glass artist’s books, book-records, etc. The artists exploited the most unusual materials and their combinations with a view of making a book form more active and their idea more sharp. Such books unfold a pronounced motif of hope or decline and death put into words like a four-line verse in an easy and accurate way.

Nearly 13 artist’s books form a group which links the books of the first and second type. They are the artist’s books with “pages”, which one seems to be able to leaf. But they are made from glass, wood, iron, cord, thread, fabric or false dollars. They have neither a text nor illustrations. The artists retain the book form and flirt with an unconventional use of the material, texture, an odd “binding”, fragility and temporality. They apocalyptic idea is expressed in a sensitive and laconic way: seven wax-stamped envelopes, seven glass “filled up” pages, etc.

What brings into unity all that motley collection, those cultural pebbles of different countries? Will a theme suffice like a cord for beads to produce a marvellous string of beads – a Triennial? Is Apocalypse that medium through the meditation of which by their works the artists got united in single space? Is a theme an axis along the vertical of which moves ideas, which read an all-embracing divinity or sink into spontaneity?

Kestutis Vasiliunas
curator

Time: 23 September – 14 November 1997.
Location: Gallery “Kaire Desine”, Vilnius.

Organiser of the Exhibition: Circle “Bokartas”.

In Lithuania Artist‘s Book Exhibitions were initiated and organized in the last decade of the 20th century, when Lithuania restored her independence, left the formation of the USSR and regained freedom.

While organizing the “1st international Artist‘s Book Triennial Vilnius 1997″ in 1997 in Vilnius in the capital of Lithuania, I wanted to „raise“ the exhibitions artistic level by inviting foreign artists. I took it as important to make this event one of the biggest significant artistic events in Lithuania, about which the whole world would hear. It had to be cyclic and awaited not only by the artists, but also by the viewers.

65 artists from 13 European countries participated in the 1st international Artist‘s Book Triennial Vilnius 1997. In this exhibition 105 artist‘s books were exhibited. The theme of the 1st International Artist‘s Book Triennial Vilnius 1997  – “Diary: Eight Days”. The idea is that eight days is seven plus one. According to the Bible, the world was created in seven days. Isn‘t it us who live on the eighth day and us who are going to destroy this wonderful world only in one divine day?

Kestutis Vasiliunas
curator

Time and place:
12 October 2011 – 22 January 2012 – in Vienna
21 February – 1 April 2012 – in Ljubljana
18 April – 27 May 2012 – in Prague

On Monday, 27 June 2011 at the MAK in Vienna, an international jury announced the winners of the Europe-wide  artist’s book competition Artists’ Books on Tour: among 158 projects from 26 European countries, works by five artists were chosen as winners and recognized with prizes of € 2,000 each; 45 further works received honorable mentions.

A major aim of the competition was to gain an overview of Europe-wide creative work in the artist’s book genre. A total of 925 projects from all over Europe were submitted to the artist’s book competition Artists’ Books on Tour. Of these, 158 projects entered the final round following three days of preliminary deliberations by the jury.

As a further central element of the project, the MAK is updating and expanding its database of illustrated books. Its holdings of this type, comprised of around 2,000 objects representing various artistic movements ranging from the Vienna Secession, Russian Constructivism and Viennese Actionism to contemporary works, will be digitized and made accessible online to the general public.

The winning projects of the competition Artists’ Books on Tour will be shown along with those recognized by honorable mentions in the form of a mobile museum which will make stops in Vienna, Prague and Ljubljana between October 2011 and May 2012. At the MAK in Vienna, the exhibition Artists’ Books on Tour – Artist Competition and Mobile Museum will be shown from 12 October 2011 to 8 January 2012 in the MAK Works on Paper Room.

http://www.abot.mak.at/

“Eclipse” by Alan Riddell

Time: 16 April – 25 September 2011

Location: Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne, Australia
7 Templestowe Road
Bulleen, Victoria 3105 Australia

Curator: Katarina Paseta and Linda Short

Presenting works from the Heide Collection and Concrete Poetry Archive, this exhibition examines the emergence of Concrete Poetry in Australia in the mid-1960s and its subsequent developments.

Concrete Poetry is a cross pollination between art and literature that takes many forms including typed words on a page, lettraset, printmaking, sculpture, found objects, photography and more.

An avant-garde movement with a wide international reach, Concrete Poetry evolved in the 1950s in separate but concurrent initiatives by Swiss writer Eugen Gomringer and Brazillian writers, The Noigandres Group. It transformed the definition of what poetry could be by expanding the written and phonic possibilities of language beyond standard printed or spoken forms. Concrete poets aspired to create poetry that would ‘exist in the world’.

The title of this exhibition, Born to Concrete, takes its name from the first Australian journal dedicated solely to concrete poetry. Published in the early 1970s, the journal is representative of the vibrant local publishing initiatives of experimental artists and poets during this period.

The exhibition focuses on the work of Sweeney Reed, Alan Riddell and Alex Selenitsch, all of whom were central figures in the development of Concrete Poetry in Australia. This new form of visual poetry was soon taken up by others, including Ruth Cowen, Aleks Danko, Jas H. Duke, Peter Murphy, TT.O, Mike Parr and Richard Tipping.

The exhibition also presents a selection of works by Scottish artist Ian Hamilton Finlay, an early exponent of Concrete Poetry, whose influence resonates in many of the works on display. Sweeney Reed was introduced to Finlay while he was based in London in the 1960s and the two maintained a connection throughout Reed’s lifetime, a relationship that is explored for the first time in this exhibition.

Heide Museum of Modern Art has amassed one of the most extensive collections of Concrete Poetry in Australia through the generosity of individual gifts and two significant donations: the Sweeney Reed Estate and Barrett Reid Bequest.

Time: 4 November-6 November 2011

Location: Former Dia/Former X Initiative
548 West 22nd Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues, New York

Founded in 1998 by Susan Inglett of I.C. Editions and Brooke Alexander Editions, the Editions|Artists’ Book Fair has grown in size and stature to become the premier showcase for contemporary publishers and dealers, presenting the latest and greatest in prints, multiples and artists’ books. The Editions|Artists’ Book Fair is well known for its vibrant energy and innovation, thanks to over sixty exhibitors, presenting hundreds of artists representing New York, Johannesburg, Amsterdam, London, Paris and points in between. The Editions|Artists’ Book Fair was the first fair to offer FREE admission, initiated with the intent of introducing a broader public to the medium of prints, multiples, and artists’ books. Fourteen years later the Fair continues to do just that.

Time and place:
12 March – 15 March 2009, Leipzig Book Fair, Germany;
30 April – 16 May 2009, Gallery “Arka” Vilnius, Lithuania;
12 September – 13 December 2009, “Art Centre Silkeborg Bad”, Denmark;
29 May – 13 September 2010, “Hübner Bokform”, Halmstad, Sweden;
8 October – 29 October 2010, “Scuola Internazionale di Grafica”, Venice, Italy.

Organiser of the Exhibition: Circle “Bokartas”;

330 artists from 56 different countries sent their books for the 5th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2009. The jury selected only 131 artists from 34 countries for the exhibition.

The theme of the 5th International Artist’s Book Triennial is Text. If compared with the themes of previous triennials, this theme is as if a step backwards, something more traditional. Probably. But if so, then first of all, that small step is a step towards oneself, towards one’s culture, towards one’s country, its uniqueness, language and writing. It is turning back towards each other, an attempt to establish a contact with the other human being, irrespective of the country he or she lives in, language he or she speaks, religion he or she believes in. Letters, dairies or poetry expressed in words, images, from the heart. They are the words (In the beginning was the Word, Jn 1. 1) that acquired “body” from paper, metal, wood or any other material. They are the words that turned into an avalanche of typographic text, calligraphic letters or entirely vanished from the book pages with only punctuation marks, imprints on the paper leaf left.

The 5th Triennial displays the most interesting artist’s books from all over the world. It is the most wonderful experience to see culture, traditions of different countries, art schools reflected in the artist’s books created by the artists. Paper typographic books and books printed by the use of classic graphic techniques – wood engraving, silk-screen printing or lithography; books printed by mixed techniques by combining possibilities of digital printing with drawing, collage and object; concept and “handmade” embroidered books; books – objects, le parello and Flux books. The key role here is played by the idea which materialises in multidimensional forms, and it is absolutely unimportant what means of expression were used in the book. Thus, whether they are “bibliophilic” books or experimental or books – objects – all of them by supplementing each other and contrasting with each other help to reveal miraculous and mysterious world of the artist’s book.

This exhibition is an invitation for dialogue. An invitation to share your “text” with the others, an invitation to read the other author’s words carefully, and to feel his or her soul trembling, heart beating. Thus, please accept this invitation.

Kestutis Vasiliunas
curator

Time: 5 May – 10 May 2004.
Location: “Frankfurt Art”, Frankfurt, Germany.

The 3rd International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2003 was exhibited in the “Frankfurt Art” in Germany.

Jose Carlos Soto, Spain

Time: 19 September – 10 October 10, 2004.
Location: Gallery “Gravicel”, Lilly, France.

The 3rd International Artist‘s Book Triennial Vilnius 2003 was part of the project
“Lille – European Capital of Culture” project.

Time & Location:
15 May – 15 June 2003, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania;
16 May 2003, Conference in the Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius;
19 September – 10 October 2004, Gallery “Gravicel”, Lilly, France;
5 May – 10 May 2004, Frankfurt Art Fair, Germany;
15 August – 10 September 2004, Thomas Manas House, Nida, Lithuania.

Organiser of the Exhibition: Circle “Bokartas”.

In 2003 the 3rd International Artist‘s Book Triennial took place in the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius. 262 artists from 44 countries have send over 1000 exhibits. 118 works from 37 countries where selected for the exhibition. To the opening of the triennial 20 artists from Europe, Australia, America were present. At the time of the exhibition a lecture – symposium and a few day trips around Lithuania were organized.

In May 2004 the exhibition was presented in an “Frankfurt Art” international fair in Germany and in October it was exhibited in Lille, France. The third Artist‘s Book Triennial was part of the project “Lille – European Capital of Culture” project.

The theme of the 3rd Triennial was “23 Sins”. I have got many questions, like – “can I participate in the exhibition if I‘m not a believer?”, “what do these 23 sins mean, if I know only seven, eight or eleven sins?”… Maybe it would be possible to relate number 23 with the year 2003 if we just erased two zeros between 2 and 3, or if we paid our attention that it is the 3rd Triennial.

But everything is more simple (simpler): 23 sins is only one of the apt provocations, which made artists ventilate the existing problems, made them go deeper into the falls of their own and those of the society.

The apt provocation is testified by the texts of two artists in the exhibition catalogue. The first text by Rasa is entitled – “Occurrence”: “Once upon a time there lived an artist and a book. They liked to make 23 sins a day. Finally they got married and became an Artist‘s Book. While the 23 sins have moved to another apartment, because their nerves couldn‘t keep up anymore.”

The second text by Rimvydas – “The text is so so. It is about a sin which needs to be condemned the most.”: “Being half asleep Aushra has marked a page of a boring book with a piece of sausage. Tomorrow (again before falling asleep) she will pull it out again from under the pile of dead roses. What a disaster. According to me such disrespect to a nibbled love romance is truly unforgivable. Not only the ones who are not taking care of the appearance of a book, but also the ones who are not paying any attention to the book shelves are making a very big sin. All serious libraries are taking care of the publishing of beautiful postcards. In these you can CLEARLY see that the arrangement of the books is not a plunge of a bear in the North, but a very important and deserving a big kiss thing. A fight for beauty on the book shelf is sacred.”

Kestutis Vasiliunas
curator