As my readers know, I am very interested in the “artist’s book” – the small, generally hand-crafted self-produced object produced in small, limited editions that many artists choose to be their final object format, rather than the more traditional 2-dimensional flat artwork created for the wall. The collecting base for artists books is growing rapidly, hence the very existence of art book fairs, workshops and symposia on this artmaking and collecting area. Last month, 15 artists were able to attended a weekend workshop with Chris Pichler of Nazraeli Press and master printer Dave Gardner at the Center for Photographic Art in Carmel, California; I hope they will offer this course next summer, too. Artist Susan kae Grant, who attended this course, has been teaching artists book classes for years (twice yearly at ICP) and there are many great organizations that teach book artist outside NYC such as the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, the Los Angeles Book Arts Center, the Seattle Center for Book Arts, the Columbia College Center for Book and Paper Arts, San Francisco Bay Area Book Arts, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center in Silver Springs, Maryland and the Idaho Center for the Book are among the growing number of book arts organizations that I hope you will support.
I was able to talk with artist Raymond Meeks when in Montana last week; many of you will know his work created in support of the Native American College Fund and created in portfolio format entitled “Return of an Echo – Portfolio One” and “Return of an Echo – Portfolio Two” (2001) as well his book “Sound of Summer Running” that was published by Nazraeli in 2004 (now out of print). Currently, Raymond is making beautiful unique artist books that are a joy to behold; be sure to see them on his website and hopefully in person one day. On his website you can also read a transcript of an interview with Darius Himes published in the Photo-Eye Book List: “The Creativity of Limitations.” The experience for the viewer of these objects is personal and thoroughly engaging.
Printed Matter, one of the organizers of the NY Art Book Fair has long been the center of this contemporary book making/book collecting movement; their store and library are not to be missed (more about them at the bottom of this posting). Additionally, Center for Book Arts in NYC will be hosting an exhibition set to open in tandem with the NY Art Book Fair: “Production not Reproduction: The Influence of Off-set Printing on Artist’s Books” opening September 28th – December 8th at their facility located at 28 West 27th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, New York 10001 (212) 481-0295.
ON TO THE BOOK ARTS FAIRS!
There are two great artists books/small press book fairs in NYC this fall, the first happening at the end of this month: The NY Art Book Fair, and the second being the 20th Annual Independent and Small Press Book Fair which will beheld December 1 & 2 in mid-town Manhattan. I’ll write more about that fair as it approaches.
From the NY Art Book Fair website:
“The annual fair of contemporary art books, art catalogues, artists’ books, art periodicals, and ‘zines offered for sale by over 120 international publishers, booksellers, and antiquarian dealers. Admission to the fair is FREE.
LOCATION
548 West 22nd Street (10th & 11th Aves), NYC (map)
FAIR HOURS
Friday/Saturday, September 28/29, 2007, 11am – 7pm
Sunday, September 30, 2007, 11am – 5pm
BENEFIT PREVIEW
Thursday, September 27, 2007, benefiting Printed Matter, Inc.
6 – 7 pm, early admission to preview
7 – 9 pm, general admission to preview
BENEFIT PREVIEW TICKETS
· Price on Request (early admission to preview plus
Ed Ruscha edition & David Shrigley ticket edition)
· $150 (general admission to preview plus
Josephine Meckseper edition & David Shrigley ticket edition)
· $20 (general admission plus David Shrigley ticket edition)
To purchase Benefit tickets:
Tel 212.925.0325 Fax 212.925.0464 or info@nyartbookfair.com
NY ART BOOK FAIR COMMITTEE
Philip Aarons, AA Bronson, Skuta Helgason, Carolina Nitsch, Richard Prince, Dieter von Graffenreid, John Waters, Matthew Zucker.”
NOTE: I did not see mention of a catalogue of vendors and exhibitions on the event website, so inquire if interested.
ABOUT PRINTED MATTER:
“Printed Matter, Inc. is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of publications made by artists. Founded as a for-profit alternative arts space in 1976 by artists and artworkers, Printed Matter reincorporated in 1978 to become the independent non-profit organization that it is today. Originally situated in Tribeca, Printed Matter moved to SoHo in 1989 where for twelve years the book displays and artists’ projects in the large storefront windows contributed to the artistic and intellectual vibrancy of the neighborhood. In 2001 Printed Matter relocated to Chelsea, where it continued to foreground the book as an alternative venue – or artistic medium – for artists’ projects and ideas. Finally, in December of 2005 Printed Matter moved into a new storefront in Chelsea with big windows and greatly increased display and exhibition space. Recognized for years as an essential voice in the increasingly diversified art world conversations and debates, Printed Matter is dedicated to the examination and interrogation of the changing role of artists’ publications in the landscape of contemporary art.
Printed Matter’s mission is to foster the appreciation, dissemination, and understanding of artists’ publications, which we define as books or other editioned publications conceived by artists as art works, or, more succinctly, as “artwork for the page.” Printed Matter specializes in publications produced in large, inexpensive editions and therefore does not deal in “book arts” or “book objects” which are often produced in smaller, more expensive editions due to the craft and labor involved in their fabrication.
To promote public awareness of and access to artists’ books, Printed Matter maintains a public reading room where over 15,000 titles by 5,000 international artists are available for viewing and purchase. In addition to being a wholesale and retail distribution hub for artists’ books, Printed Matter offers a free consulting service to libraries, art institutions, and art professionals involved with artists’ books throughout the world. Printed Matter presents a range of educational programs for the public from talks to student groups by staff members to in-store lectures and readings by artists, critics, and curators. These educational initiatives are complemented by our internationally recognized exhibitions program and by a new publishing program for emerging artists.”
Marketing Photos with Mary Virginia Swanson 