Camberwell College of Art, 'Real Fiction'.
Natasha Caruana, 'Portraits of "The Other Woman"'.
Don't miss this year's London Artists' Book Fair, taking over the ICA from this Thu to Sat (23-25 Nov 2007) - a great way to enjoy the potential of printed matter, start your own collection, or be inspired to become a maker yourself. Free entry.
Since 1993, London-based dealer Marcus Campbell, who's known for his interest in rare modern art books, has been calling on all fellow enthusiasts and connoisseurs of the artists' book, a still relatively specialist medium. It's little surprise, considering the delicate nature of many of the examples you may have come across in library archives and in dustless exhibition vitrines. But this might be one of the most popular misconceptions about this type of art-work, which embraces a huge variety of publication formats, from immovable hardback, single-sheet print, 'zine, and box full of objects.
Succinctly defined, 'an artists' book is a work of art in which the idea of the book is central'. It can encompass drawing, painting, print-making, sculpture, photography, graphic design or electronic arts, usually leaning toward experimentalism, or lightheartedness. Some artists' books have words, other don't, and the subject matter is endless, ranging from dialogues and comment on artistic ideas, poetry, beauty, ...
The fair now hosts 60 international exhibitors over the three floors of the ICA building, with participants from South Korea, Japan, Russia, Denmark, Germany, and Britain - ranging from established fine presses to part-time, diy enthusiasts. And the prices vary accordingly, with books on sale for thousands or just a few quid.
A great example of the medium's potential is 'Point and Place', a collaborative bookwork by 6 artists and performers (Julie Brixey-Williams, Camilla Brueton, Simon Kennedy, Rajni Shah, Theron U. Schmidt and Caroline Younger) addressing questions of space, poignantly bearing in mind what collaboration can mean - the resulting book is double-bound, holding the potential for many changing perspectives and interpretations.
There will be a programme of films, talks and exhibitor's events to accompany the fair, all expanding issues brought up by the occasion. Check out the rare screening of Isidore Isou's 'Traite de Bave et d'Eternite', an influential experimental film by the pioneer of Lettrisme, which paved the way for the Situationists. This Dieter Roth documentary will please all artists' book worms. 'Books, Words, Letters' (screening 23 Nov, 1pm and 24 Nov, 4:30pm) showcases a selection of films and videos around avant-garde treatment of the world of printed matter, figuratively and literally - 'from palindromic video to filmed books via structural films'. Curated by William English, the programme includes 'Unedited Material from the Star' by John Latham (1960), 'Word Movie' by Paul Sharits (1966), and 'University Library' by Rosalind Nashashibi (2004).
Lupe Nunez-Fernandez
LONDON ARTISTS' BOOK FAIR 2007
ICA
The Mall
London SW1Y 5AH
T: +44 (0)20 7930 3647
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