5 minute read

Book Arts. Renata Pekowska considers the format of the artists’ book

Book Arts

RENATA PEKOWSKA CONSIDERS THE FORMAT OF THE ARTISTS’ BOOK, INCLUDING VARIOUS IRISH PUBLISHERS AND COLLECTIONS.

IT IS ENTIRELY possible to spend a lifetime surrounded by books or go through years of art college education without being aware of a niche creative discipline of artists’ books, also known as ‘book arts’. The simplest way to describe an artist’s book is that it is a work of art in the form of a book. Within that simple definition lies a never-ending world of possibilities and approaches. Some artists’ books are high-end, professionally produced, limited editions or one-off objects, still clearly recognisable as ‘books’. Some contain hand-printed images; others are photographic projects, hand painted oneoffs, or present assemblages of images to travel through, like handheld exhibitions. The physical form can depart from, or entirely defy, the recognisable book form to become a sculptural object. Artists’ books can also be created from existing books by overwriting, manipulating or carrying out physical alterations: cutting, carving or even grinding, with new content added or extracted.

The definition of ‘book arts’ incorporates activities which are sometimes much less formal affairs, playing with or eroding ideas of preciousness and longevity. Self-publishing is a practice common among book artists; nowhere is this more ubiquitous than within the world of zines. Zines are small circulation publications, usually produced using widely available and inexpensive methods. They are normally made and distributed by their authors. Since zines do not require filters of external approval before reaching their final form, they provide their creators with practically unlimited freedom with regard to contents. They can become voices of the marginalised or a means of expression for those operating outside of official publishing channels and modes of circulation.

Book Arts in Ireland The First Wexford Artists Book Exhibition took place in 1995 as an initiative of Andi McGarry and Denis Collins and has been happening again in recent years. Zine fairs regularly take place in Dublin and Cork. The yearly Dublin Art Book Fair (DABF), which takes place each November in Temple Bar Gallery + Studios (TBG+S) in Dublin, normally includes a section of artists’ books, selected through an open-call process. Last year marked the tenth anniversary of DABF, and was the first edition in which the majority of events took place online. The fair was curated by design critic, Alice Rawsthorn, under the theme of ‘Design as Attitude’. The DABF was initiated in 2011 at a particular moment when TBG+S were assembling a curatorial panel to reflect on their programmes. The idea came from the late Jason Oakley, then editor of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet, as a response to a perceived lack of events dedicated to art publications and artists’ books. Early iterations of the fair were produced on a shoestring, each becoming a learning experience for the next one.

From the very beginning, the fair drew audiences and gradually evolved into more of a curated event, building relationships with publishers and artists. In 2015 DABF received funding from the Irish Year of Design, and it is currently sponsored by Henry J. Lyons. This funding allowed for involving guest curators and embracing the book fair as an important annual event at the intersection of art, design, architecture, literature and bookmaking. Guest curators have worked with different themes, bringing different communities, audiences and diverse expertise, while also engaging the community of studio artists at TBG+S.

For those interested in Irish artists’ books, there are specialised collections. The largest is the artists’ books collection in the National Irish Visual Arts Library (NIVAL), containing over 1,000 Irish artists’ books at present. It is open to the public and available to view by appointment. The collection includes a wide range of items, from expensively produced limited edition handprinted items and one-off ‘book objects’, to zines and student projects. Irish book arts projects are also collected by Visual Artists Ireland and Limerick School of Art and Design. There are smaller and more specialised collections, like the Forgotten Zine Archive located in A4 Sounds, an artist-run studio and gallery in north-inner-city Dublin.

Contemporary book arts practices in Ireland span a wide and diverse range of projects. Artists’ books are created by individual artists and by small publishing houses, while some are collaborations between artists and institutions. The works themselves vary in size, finish, materials and approaches. Some are beautiful sculptural objects, like the meticulously finished creations of Galway-based artist, Sioban Piercy. Her books vary in size – some are large, sculptural objects. They come in small editions and are elaborately folded pieces, printed and bound, often with inlaid titles and ribbons to tie them closed. Similarly, Andrew Folan’s books are precise, exquisite affairs which are both sculptures and books. Their full glory as tactile encounters can only be appreciated when handling them. Like Piercy, Folan is a print artist in full control of his materials and techniques. He often uses ambiguous images which are endlessly repeated, as well as pyrography, piercing assembled pages with burning iron rods. Burned out holes and marks slowly fade as we travel through the pages. There are artists who continuously try new materials and acquire new skills, incorporating them into new book projects. Sandi Sexton describes herself as “a master craftsperson with a keen interest in keeping the tradition of book craft alive in Ireland”. Sexton’s creations can be folded and cut in unexpected ways, sometimes taking the form of delicate, miniscule, three-dimensional concertinas.

There are small publishing houses around Ireland which deliberately operate outside mainstream. Red Fox Press is based on Achill Island and is run by book artist Francis van Maele in collaboration with his partner, artist Hyemee Kim (also known as Antic-ham). Red Fox Press is a prolific venture, publishing small editions of books dedicated to various themes. They also produce assembly boxes and other more unorthodox book forms. Another small but prolific book publishing venture is Coracle Press, operating from rural South Tipperary, who produce poetic and curious book-objects: poems printed on household items like plates and glasses; or ‘Water of Recess’ – small hand-stapled brown cardboard boxes containing booklets, printed maps and small vials of water with tiny bits of debris.

Artists’ books can be fascinating artworks, particularly for those of us who love books in general. The book form still proves to be resilient, even as deciphering and recording written content is increasingly becoming a process of interactions with screens. Only time will tell how the book as we know it might evolve – and the artist’s book along with it.

Renata Pekowska is an artist and researcher based in Dublin.

renatapekowska.blogspot.com

This article is from: