bound : unbound

bound : unbound 20 January – 28 February 2018

FELICITY BRISTOW LIZA GREEN SUSIE LEIPER LY N D A W I L S O N SUSIE WILSON

Cover: Susie Leiper No moon need slide Title from Norman MacCaig Artist book 20 x 17cm

&Gallery

17 Dundas Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6QG andgallery.co.uk info@andgallery.co.uk

Contemporary Visual & Applied Art

b o und : unb ound 20 January – 28 February 2018

Join us for the opening on Saturday 20 January 2018, 2 – 4pm FELICITY BRISTOW LIZA GREEN SUSIE LEIPER LY N D A W I L S O N SUSIE WILSON If an artist book is bound you open it to reveal its secrets; if it’s unbound you may be turning over album leaves, sifting through a portfolio or even gazing at pages on a wall.

The members of bound : unbound come from a variety of disciplines: Felicity Bristow and Lynda Wilson share backgrounds in architecture, Liza Green is a textile artist, Susie Wilson’s engagement is with printmaking and Susie Leiper’s with calligraphy and painting. All five artists come together through the medium of the artist book.

By exhibiting books and wall pieces together, the artists encourage visitors to understand the place of the artist book within the wider practice of each artist. The works sing with variety.

FELICITY BRISTOW Felicity’s site-specific work is an exploration of architecture, narrative, material and the pervading spirit of place or genius loci. Felicity is fascinated with words, with making, researching and exploring the physical structure of books site specifically.

In recent work Felicity has been exploring the complexities of the ‘analogue book’ in abstract, and developing the themes of ‘transformation’ and ‘abstraction’ of the book as an object and container with a restricted palette of materials: naturally distilled pigments, saline, paper and linen thread or rope. Her research is conducted and informed by using real-time scientific methods revealing ephemeral and ‘alternative truths’ about site and movement.

Draw-ing(s), detail Ink, NaCl on paper 86 x 122cm Untitled Artist book 10 x 14cm

LIZA GREEN Liza’s work reflects her interest in mapping the traces of human activity in political and geographical landscapes, and a love of poetry, history and travel. She takes inspiration from the influence of human presence in the landscape, current affairs and the written word. Drawings and photographs of places of interest, and abstract ideas and concepts arising from sources such as poetry or topical issues are developed in the studio, often resulting in work which contains subtle political messages. Exploration of detail and simplification of line are important elements of her work. Liza studied Textiles and Fashion and employs a variety of textile techniques and mixed media in her process.

Between Lines in Space, detail Textile panel 30 x 30cm Between Lines in Space Artist book 13 x 15cm

SUSIE LEIPER As Susie trained as a calligrapher and book editor, artist books are very apposite to her work. In some of her pieces the random repetition of shapes hints at the rhythm of writing, of poetry, of music, and possibly at the deconstruction of the formal page layout. At the same time something in the abstract images suggests the universal life force that lies behind everything - our land, our buildings, ourselves even. This body of work is inspired by the writer Norman MacCaig, whose poetry Susie has been revisiting since her commission to write lines by him on the new RBS polymer ten pound note.

Conspiracy of space and time, detail Title from Norman MacCaig Oil on canvas 180 x 160cm The cold hour and the darkness sang Title from Norman MacCaig Artist book 6 x 14cm

LY N D A W I L S O N After a career practising and teaching architecture, Lynda continues to explore her fascination with the built environment through sketching and photography on site, before developing her ideas in the studio in drawing, painting, printmaking and artist bookmaking. Particular themes include structures at the water’s edge, coastal findings and cityscapes. While her work is in some ways representational, Lynda seeks to capture what for her is the essence of the place by focusing on particular aspects of it rather than depicting a general impression. In this process there is an instinctive tendency to exaggerate colour and simplify form. The medium and form chosen for each piece is selected to support this intention of expressing the character of a place through specific aspects of its reality.

San Martino, Lucca Wash and resist on paper 42 x 30cm Piazza del Duomo, Pistoia Artist book 17 x 18cm

SUSIE WILSON Susie trained as a printmaker and for the past twelve years the book form has been central to her work. The discipline of this form enables her to combine printmaking with three-dimensional structures and to use layers that can interplay one with another.

Susie’s work has a longstanding concern with narratives (sequential and accumulative) and with the self-documentary impulse.

It has drawn on diverse external sources – historic, architectural and anatomical – and has frequently been informed by the particular medical challenges faced by her family. Her recent work looks at the fragility and strength of the human body – things hidden and revealed with traces left behind – transforming these ideas into small-scale objects of delicate complexity. Working on a small scale has been important, fostering an intimacy between the viewer and the work.

Partial View I Mixed media 45 x 22cm Untitled Artist book 31 x 24.5cm

E X H I B I T I O N S A N D B O O K FA I R S Formerly known as the Artist Book Group, bound : unbound have been working and exhibiting together for almost ten years.

EXHIBITIONS as bound : unbound &Gallery, Edinburgh (2018) Beyond the Page, Craigard Gallery, Wigtown Book Festival (2017) EXHIBITIONS as the Artist Book Group Anne Frank: A history for today, University of Stirling (2015) Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh (2014 – 15) north bound, Lyth Arts Centre, Caithness (2014) Hidden Door Festival, East Market Street vaults, vault 4, Edinburgh (2014) bound : unbound, The Gallery at McNaughtan’s Bookshop, Edinburgh (2013) Paper Page Process, Patriothall Gallery, Edinburgh (2012) Paint Print Page, The Gallery at McNaughtan’s Bookshop, Edinburgh (2011) B O O K FA I R S as The Artist Book Group Artists’ BookMarket, Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh (2017, 2015, 2014, 2012) Bookmarks, Artists’ books and small press, Edinburgh College of Art (2017) Baltic Artist Book Fair, Newcastle (2014) Artist book fairs, Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh (2013, 2012, 2011)

By Leaves We Live, a celebration of artists’ books and small presses, Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh (2010)

Liza Green Migratory Patterns, Artist book 14 x 15cm

&Gallery, 17 Dundas Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6QG andgallery.co.uk info@andgallery.co.uk