This year's Manchester Artists Book fair took place at the Holden Gallery, within a stylish listed building at Manchester University, at the instigation of Tom Sowden and Lucy May Schofield who are behind the Righton Press initiative at the university. This an artist-led event - all good vibes - at a time when artists' books are gaining a pretty exciting momentum (incidentally, a lot of new courses in art colleges, particularly at MA level). Almost 50 artists and presses from the UK, Denmark, France, Ireland and beyond were exhibiting and there was also an interesting programme of artists' talks (the audiences were made up of a lot of artists which created very lively discussions).
From the conceptual to the livre objet through the printed pamphlet, the fair presented a rare occasion for artists to sit or stand behind their production and engage, or not, with the public. A truly exciting and disparate range of works were on view and some were for sale. These were the gems I unearthed:
Otto Free Press (www.ottobooks.co.uk)
Anne Rook (www.rook.dircon.com)
Helen Douglas (www.weproductions.com)
Andrew Morrison (www.artistsbooksonline.com/andrew_morrison.html), )
Also not to be missed was the strange and wonderful hand-cut world of Ambeck (www.ambeck.mdd.dk). Also keep an eye out for Hilary Judd. Last but not least, if you happen to be in Manchester do visit the artists' books collection held at the Sir Kenneth Green Library, All Saints Campus (which has just been granted museum status).
Mari-Aymone Djeribi
djeribi (www.mermaidturbulence.com)
Forthcoming fairs
(artist-led) Small Press Fair, Red Lion Square, London 21-22 october
(dealer-led and massive) London Artists' Book Fair at the ICA, London
(artist-led) International Contemporary Artists' Book Fair at Leeds University 10-11 March 2007
(artist-led) International Artists Book Fair at Arnolfini, Bristol, 21-22 April 2007
Andrew Morrisson
Anne Rook
Otto
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