Posts Tagged ‘Helen Cole’
HELEN COLE VISITS A PAPER UNIVERSE
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“Artists’ books break all the rules. They stretch, fold, sculpt and reimagine the book as an object — not just something to read, but something to experience”
Curator Maria Savvidis.
Two views of the ‘Paper Universe: The Book as Art’ entry concertina PHOTOs: Helen Cole
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PAPER UNIVERSE: THE BOOK AS ART
A MAJOR EXHIBITION OF ARTISTS BOOKS AT THE STATE LIBRARY OF NSW
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The exhibition press release states, ‘Paper Universe: The book as art’ showcases almost 100 rarely seen works from the State Library’s extraordinary collection of artists’ books. Featuring striking and innovative creations, the exhibition reveals how artists transform the idea of a book into works of art. According to State Librarian Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon: “Paper Universe offers a rare chance to experience some of the most inventive, thought-provoking and surprising works in the Library’s collection – many by some of Australia’s most celebrated artists – all in the one place.”
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Paper Universe: The book as art is a free exhibition at the State Library of NSW until 3 May 2026
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Visiting ‘PAPER UNIVERSE’ with Helen Cole+Victoria+Doug
Towards the end of 2025 we were drawn to Sydney to encounter the seminal artists book exhibition PAPER UNIVERSE: The Book as Art. We invited our friend Helen Cole to join us and Helen was able to arrange a meeting with the curator Maria Savvides to discuss the exhibition, the books and their presentation.
After our viewing of the exhibition our reflective discussion about what we had encountered led to an invitation for Helen to write an informed essay from her significant experience and knowledge of the artists book.
What follows after a selection of images, mainly taken by Helen, is her essay and a collection of documents and a video of the exhibition.
Paper Universe: The Book as Art – curator Maria Savvidis with Helen Cole PHOTO: Doug Spowart
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HERE’S A SELECTION OF BOOKS FROM THE EXHIBITION
“Click” on the image to enlarge and see the caption.
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HELEN COLE’S REFLECTIONS ON THE SHOW
When I curated the artists’ books exhibition Freestyle Books from State Library of Queensland’s artists’ books collection in 2008 it was supposed to be a mere taster before a major exhibition of the artform. That never happened. It was very gratifying to find out that State Library of New South Wales has taken up the challenge of both curation and display of this form that can be difficult to exhibit, and given it the title of Paper Universe: The book as art. The curator, librarian Maria Savvidis and her supporting team of librarians, conservators and designers have done a superb job in showcasing the richness of stories and artworks that artists books yield. They were fortunate to have five years to bring the exhibition to fruition, and this is shown by the attention to detail in its staging.
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The exhibition is introduced in the wide corridor leading to it by a huge concertina ‘book’ with blown-up details of three distinctive works. Before you enter, the view of the concertina is a quiet white book by Nicole Hayes with a delicate texture pierced through the page from front and back with pins. As you leave the view is of colourful, forceful black, red and blue designs in linocut and digital prints from books by Dianne Fogwell and Lyn Ashby, summing up the other extreme of the books you have seen.
Paper Universe exhibition PHOTO: Doug Spowart
That calm entry leads into a quiet space to engage with the works in the exhibition, provided by dividers reminiscent of Japanese shoji screens. The themes around which the exhibition is woven are well chosen and enunciated in the didactics: the art of inspiration – influences and sources in other artists work; the natural world – its beauty, its power, but also its fragility; the civil condition – investigating, reflecting and challenging social issues, politics, morality and equality; unveiling identity – the shaping of personal, family, and national identities and memories; the artist’s eye – investigations into the notion of the book. Each is signified by a different colour in the surrounding exhibition architecture – walls, plinths and borders on the screens
The books are very well displayed, individually, with several strategies used to overcome the perennial problem of exhibiting artists books, that they generally cannot be fully experienced when closed or open at only one page. The most common comment about an artists’ book exhibition is “I wish I could see the whole book” and indeed it is my thought too, even knowing how difficult it is to avoid. The curator has gone to great lengths to show as many books in their entirety as possible.
Caren Florance WYSIWYG, 2013
The first book in the exhibition, or is it the last? WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) (2013) by Caren Florance, the curator’s own copy, was designed to be seen as a whole when the book is closed, displaying what a rarity that is. The text lines are printed on increasingly larger pages, each peeking out from the one above. Maria Savvidis wrote: “This book served as both a talisman and inside joke for me as the curator of this exhibition, years spent thinking about the paradox of exhibiting artist’s books…WYSIWYG is a wry but generous show of empathy from the artist who understands this difficulty and has shown mercy on collecting institutions tasked with the impossible.” Anne-Marie Hunter created the Tower of Babel (2006), (The Tower of Babel, Artists’ Book By Anne-Maree Hunter | State Library of Queensland) a book in the round which was exhibited in my 2008 exhibition, with the same intent.
Garry Shead Ern Malley: The Darkening Ecliptic, 2003
Several of the works have been removed from their covers and are displayed, page by page, on the wall. These include Garry Shead’s Ern Malley: The darkening ecliptic (2003): a sequence of etchings, which when presented together create a single image. Along with the display of the ceramic box in which it was presented, this is possibly the best way to show this work.
G.W. Bot Requiem by Anna Akhmatova, 2020
The pages of G.W. Bot’s superb linocuts for Requiem by Anna Ahkmatova (2020) are beautifully arranged framed on a blue background, however not all pages of the book are included so it is unfortunately a circumscribed view of the production.
Other works displayed page by page include Paul Uhlmann’s New Insecta, Queensland: AA Girault (1989), Judy Watson’s A preponderance of Aboriginal blood (2005), Peter Lyssiotis and George Matoulis’ Bridge (2021) and Glenda Orr and Kathy Boyle’s Paradise Lost : an artists’ book exploring the status of threatened & iconic plants from Australia and New Zealand collected by Daniel Solander and Joseph Banks during Captain Cook’s 1770 voyage (2020).
Dianne Fogwell Ashes to Ashes – Dust to Dust- Ash Wednesday 16th February 1983, (2018) PHOTO: Doug Spowart
The pages of Di Fogwell’s Ashes to ashes – dust to dust: Ash Wednesday 16th February 1983 (2018) are arranged upright to evoke the flames of the bushfire it describes. There has been some comment that this destroys the original form and order of the books, but I disagree. Some books are meant to be rearranged by the reader or at least read in any order they want. Also, the curator went to some lengths to speak to the artists and present their work as they would want. For most of the works artists’ statements are provided, along with translations of foreign language texts, where appropriate.
I don’t consider print portfolios on a single subject, often by printmaking groups, constitute successful and cohesive artists books, and there are a few in this show including Natural Collection (2017) by the Warringah Printmakers Studio. It was published to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Studio and is based on the species and ecological communities of the Northern Beaches of Sydney that are under threat. Ten of the 29 prints that comprise the work are exhibited over three changeovers, not including the texts which accompany each print. I don’t think this work has a conceptual framework – a common subject, yes, but not enough to tie them together – as a book.
Mike Hudson & Jadwiga Jarvis Ockers: A poem by Pi O 1999
Concertina books are perfectly made for display, extended either framed on a wall or standing upright on a plinth. The bold and colourful Wayzgoose Press book Ockers: a poem by Pi O (1999) is displayed partly opened behind glass. A thoughtful work previously unknown to me was Theo Strasser’s In ecstasy, Franz Kafka (2013) in acrylic painting and collage, based on an aphorism by Kafka. Another is Lossed (2022) by Sara Bowen. Reduction lino prints of her parents, at first strong, becoming lighter as the book is opened page by page. I’m not sure if it represents her memory of them fading or their memories of each other fading through dementia, but it is a very touching work which is displayed to perfection.
Katharine Nix The Uluru Book, 1994
Several works which could be regarded as book objects were included. The Uluru Book (1994) by Katharine Nix has an imposing physical presence; multiple layers of the hand-made paper for which she is well known, with ochre coloured covers tied with rusted wire and pierced by bones. All elements allude to the close links between the rock and its original inhabitants, and the damage done to the rock and its surrounding environment by the thousands of visitors. Teledex (1981), by Ted Hopkins is a container for poems in the form of an old-fashioned metal teledex, indexed with tabs.
Nathalie Gautier-Hartog
Looking for Paradise, 2020 + Video a collaboration with Broken Yellow
Looking for paradise (2020) by Nathalie Gautier-Hartog, is about refugees seeking a home in Australia, but subject to Australian government policies. It is presented as 12 books inside a wire cage, further emphasizing the restrictions placed on refugees. It is noted that all of the books are available to view as PDFs on the artist’s website with a QR code linking to it displayed. There is also a clever animation based on the United Nation’s Human Rights Charter with images from the books showing in the gallery. It is also on her website. It was created in collaboration with Broken Yellow Studio and the Asylum Seekers Centre. I’m not a great fan of digitised artists books but must admit this combination of media enhances interaction and appreciation of the work.
Penny Evans Proof, 2015
Relatively few First Nations artists create artists books, so it was great to see a works by Judy Watson and a work by Penny Evans, who has Gamilaroi, Welsh, Irish and German heritage using the form to examine connections between culture and country in her unique state book Proof (2015). Using collage and digital prints with stitching it was accompanied by a page-by-page video of the work.
Geraldine Rede & Violet Teague Night Fall in the Ti-Tree, 1905 PHOTO: Doug Spowart
I was surprised that no works from the origins of artists books were shown: books such as those by Picasso and Bonnard published by Ambroise Vollard and Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler in Paris in the early twentieth century. It could be because the library doesn’t hold them. A quick search of the SLNSW catalogue revealed Dingo, with drypoint etchings by Pierre Bonnard published by Vollard in 1924, but few others. I was pleased to see the inclusion of Night fall in the ti-tree (1905) by Violet Teague and Geraldine Rede with its delicate woodcuts, and its acknowledgement as the first Australian artists’ book.
Ed Rusha Every Building on the Sunset Strip, 1966 + Philip Quirk Oxford Street Profile, 2011 PHOTO: Doug Spowart
In a small way the exhibition demonstrates the limitations of the artists’ book collection at the SLNSW, which has not concentrated on its development until relatively recently. Most of the exhibited works have been created in the twenty-first century. There are few books published overseas, one being the fabulous version of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (1973) by the British artist Susan Allix. The Rubaiyat is a very popular subject for interpretation by artists. An important artist in the history of the artist’s book is American Edward Ruscha, an early exponent of the democratic multiple. He is represented by the concertina photobook Every building on the sunset strip (1966) which has had a huge influence on other artists who continue to create similar works. In this exhibition the book is unusually displayed fully extended to 7.5 metres and is shown with Oxford Street Profile (2011) documenting Oxford Street in Sydney by Australian photographer Philip Quirk. It only stretches to 7.33 metres. It was interesting to see Micky Allan’s early (in Australian terms) artist’s book My Trip (1976). Displayed open, a full facsimile of its newspaper format is also available for closer investigation.
Micky Allan My Trip, 1976
Dancing Over Dark Waters (2012), Howl for a Black Cockatoo (2015), and Phantomwise Flew the Black Cockatoo (2017), by Sue Anderson and Gwen Harrison, with Peter Lyssiotis writing the text for Dancing over dark waters, very impressive books all, are very similar materially and in subject. They could have been replaced by other works expanding the breadth of vision made available in the exhibition. Similarly, several artists are represented by more than one work when other artists and their ideas could have been embraced.
Deanna Hitti Towla, 2017
The exhibition includes some of my favourite artists books including Towla (2017) by Deanna Hitti, with the integral clamshell box creating a board for backgammon, the subject of the book. It is an intriguing book with instructions for backgammon phonetically translated using Arabic and Latin characters but with a twist. Arabic letters spell the instructions in English and Latin letters spell the instructions in Arabic. Some of the books in this exhibition have become my new favourites.
In Conclusion
Criticisms of some components of the exhibition are mere quibbles. In retrospect I could make many about my own exhibition in 2008. This is a fabulous exhibition, beautifully curated, wonderfully designed, and a rare opportunity for the public to experience the breadth and depth of the artists’ book. I hope it will introduce the magical world of artists’ books to a whole new audience in Sydney who will follow up with personal experiences with artists’ books in the library. I also hope that SLNSW will continue to support the art form in both acquisitions and exhibitions.
Helen Cole
March 14, 2026
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Judges: Helen Cole & Roger Butler with Clyde McGill PHOTO: Artspace Mackay
HELEN COLE: Brief Biography
Helen Cole is intimately acquainted with the world of artists’ books, including their collection and the opportunities and difficulties in presenting these artworks in a public context. Helen was the Arts and Rare Book librarian at State Library of Queensland for thirty years. During much of that time she was responsible for the development of the Library’s extensive Artists’ Books Collection. She has been significantly involved in the artists’ book discipline writing articles and making presentations at conferences. She has judged the Manly Artists Book Prize once and on two occasions judged the Libris Australian Artists’ Book Prize for Artspace Mackay. In 2008 she curated the SLQ exhibition Freestyle Books: Artists’ books from the collection. Helen also co-curated the Tales from the Lyrebird with Ron McBurnie for Artspace Mackay. Apart from her work developing public collections she has amassed a personal library of cherished books.
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OTHER PAPER UNIVERSE RESOURCES
DOWNLOAD: A list of all books in Paper Universe: Paper Universe Book List
DOWNLOAD: A catalogue of Didactic Information on Each Book: Paper Universe Exhibition Captions
DOWNLOAD: A Press Release of the exhibition: Paper Universe Media Release
We wish to acknowledge the courtesy extended to us by curator Maria Savvidis.
The Reflection text ©2026 Helen Cole
All photographs are by Helen Cole unless otherwise credited.
© is retained by all authors
All photographs have been digitally optimised by Doug Spowart.
Two views of th ‘Paper Universe’ entry concertina PHOTO: Helen Cole
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ARTISTS BOOKS IN AUSTRALIA: The People+Events
Doug Spowart’s ARTISTS BOOK FAMILY Mosaic
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In July the artists book symposium ABBE 2025 took place at Artspace Mackay. A key theme of this event was the ‘mapping Australia’s artists book histories’ and in the extended brief for the conference there was the lament that while artists books in Australia had been broad and active there was a scant record of the history the discipline.
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Reference was made to the understated history of the two main texts Gary Catalano’s The Bandaged Image (1983) and Alex Selenitsch’s NGA published Australian Artists Books 2008, conferences such as those coordinated by Artspace Mackay, many unpublished PhD thesis and the ‘valiant attempts by journals’ that burn out after a few years.
‘Bring your stories, your artifacts, and your memories’ they said so I put forward a submission consisting of aspects of the visual record that I have been making over 22 years of the artists book scene. My submission was to be an illustrated presentation consisting of approximately 200 portraits of the people of the artists book discipline as well as a few events.
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Here is my submission rationale:
AN ARTISTS BOOK FAMILY ALBUM – A ‘paper’ by Dr Doug Spowart
“A family’s photograph album is generally about the extended family
and, often, is all that remains of it.”
Susan Sontag in On Photography 1977
Family archives are a profound thread connecting past, present, and future, serving as repositories of memory, identity, and history.
Photography is more than just a medium for capturing pictures—it is a lens through which we view and understand history. Its ability to document, provoke, and preserve moments in time has made it an indispensable tool for both personal and collective memory.
In this way photographs hold the power to evoke vivid recollections, introducing us to lost relatives and forgotten stories while anchoring us within a broader familial narrative. Yet, the fragility of these archives is striking — images tucked away on devices or in drawers risk being lost to time, their stories untold.
The passing of key family members often deepens this void, as context and meaning tied to people and events can vanish. Establishing and preserving a family archive becomes not just an act of personal curation but a legacy-building effort, ensuring that these visual fragments of memory remain accessible to future generations.
In an era where countless photos are taken but rarely saved, the challenge lies in collecting and annotating these fleeting moments. A taking them into lasting archives for some to have as a touchtone for memory, and for others to review and research. Maybe to tell the story for future eyes and minds of the books that were made, what events happened and who was there…
This paper will present an illustrated fragment of photographs of the artists book family taken by the author over a 20 years period.
Dr Doug Spowart
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This submission was accepted, and the presentation offered to attendees of the symposium, and later online as a movie via the Artspace website.
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A LINK TO THE YOUTUBE VIDEO ON DOUG SPOWART’s Channel: “CLICK IMAGE”
For BEST viewing quality select HD quality in the SETTINGS menu. NOTE: The full video is 12 minutes long.
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PRESENTER’S COMMENT from Doug Spowart
In curating these photographs I have focussed on selecting images from the broad artists book community and have not included many photographs from my collaborative practice with Victoria Cooper.
Every attempt has been made to ensure correct captions – Please advise of any errors or omissions. Thanks to Caren Florance, Helen Cole, Robert Heather and Adele Outteridge for their assistance with captions.
Victoria and I have provided commentary about the artists book and photobook disciplines for many years in our Blog, journals, events coordinated and lecture presentations.
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All photographs are Copyright Doug Spowart (Some by Victoria Cooper). The subject pictured, after contacting the copyright owner, may be able to use the portrait of themselves for non-commercial applications. Other usage may require negotiation of a fee.
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WHAT FOLLOWS IS A LIST OF ALL CAPTIONS IN THE VIDEO
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MABF 2017 National Gallery of Victoria
Deanna Hitti and Deidre Brollo @ MABF 2017 National Gallery of Victoria
‘Life’s Journey’ exhibition @ Redland Art Gallery, Cleveland 2012
Julie Barratt in her gallery at Alstonville 2011
Dianne Longley in her exhibition ‘Navigations’ at Barrett Galleries 2008
Tim Mosely in his exhibition Make Like An Eskimo 2012
grahame galleries opening of Lessons in History Vol. II – Democracy 2012
Heather Matthew and Stephen Spurrier @ grahame galleries opening of Lessons in History Vol. II – Democracy 2012
Monica Oppen and Jan Davis @ grahame galleries opening of Lessons in History Vol. II – Democracy 2012
Volume Art Book Fair, Artspace, Woolloomooloo, Sydney 2017
Helen Cole chairs presentations by Keith Smith and Scott McCarney State Library of Queensland 2012
Siganto Seminar: The Trouble with Artists’ Books SLQ 2013
Helen Cole –Siganto Seminar: The Trouble with Artists’ Books SLQ 2013
Noreen Graeme and Jan Davis – Siganto Seminar: The Trouble with Artists’ Books SLQ 2013
Hearsay book launch with Euan Mcleod, Ron McBurnie, Susi Muddiman & Lloyd Jones SLQ 2013
Jo Kambourian at Artists Books Flash Mob Survey Book event Grafton 2013
Catherine McCue Boes Books as art: 30 years in the making Bundaberg Regional Gallery 2014
George Paton Gallery, Artist’s Books (reprised) University of Melbourne 2014
International speaker Sarah Bodman presents a paper – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
International speaker Brad Freeman – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Lyn Ashby – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Convener Tim Mosely presenting – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Books By Artists exhibition – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Sue Anderson + Gwen Harrison Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Deidre Brollo with Christene Drewe + Helen Cole and Marian Crawford with Sarah Bodman
Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Penny Carey-Wells and Caren Florance Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Robyn Foster + Fiona Dempster and Angela Gardner Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Sheree Kinlyside and Impress Printmakers: Sue Poggioli + Jennifer Stuerzl Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Tim Mosely and Heather Matthew Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Adele Outteridge + Wim de Vos – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Jo Kambourian and Darren Bryant at Lismore Art Space 2014
The SLQ White Gloves team Christene Drewe, Helen Cole and Jeanette Garrard for Abbe 2015
State Librarian Janette Wright welcomes attendees SLQ 2015
Brazillian artist Amir Brito Cadôr keynote presentation Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Seminar 2015
Julie Barratt and Clyde McGill discusse their Siganto Foundation Creative Fellowship 2015
Jan Davis and Doug Spowart discuss their Siganto Foundation Creative Fellowship 2015
A forum on collaboration – Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Seminar 2015
Judy Bourke and Adele Outteridge+Wim de Vos at the Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Fair SLQ 2015
Clyde McGill and Anne Kirker and Sue Poggioli at the Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Fair SLQ 2015
Helen Malone and Sandra Pearce at the Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Fair SLQ 2015
Amir Brito Cadôr with Noreen Grahame & Helen Malone at the Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Fair SLQ 2015
Helen Cole, Michael Wardell & Clyde McGill at the Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Fair SLQ 2015
Dr Marie Siganto makes a presentation to Ana Paula Estrada and Victoria Cooper
PAPER CONTEMPORARY – Sydney Contemporary 2015
Grahame Galleries stand with Ron + Jonathan McBurnie at Paper Contemporary – Sydney Contemporary 2015
Victoria Cooper, Jan Davis and Trent Walter at Paper Contemporary – Sydney Contemporary 2015
Sue Anderson + Gwen Harrison and Brigita Oppen at Paper Contemporary – Sydney Contemporary 2015
Helen Cole, Akky van Ogtrop, Robyn Berkeley from Berkeley Editions and Victoria Cooper at
Paper Contemporary – Sydney Contemporary 2015
Fellow Travellers a book by William Kelly, SLV Creative Fellow and Baldessin Press Studio Residency recipient
Personal Histories International Artist Book Exhibition Uni of NSW Canberra 2015
Robyn Foster (Curator), Judy Bourke, Selena Griffith, Tracie Toohey, Rachel Hunter, Lisa Morisset –
Personal Histories International Artist Book Exhibition Uni of NSW Canberra 2015
Christene Drewe introduces UK artist Guy Begbie – The Siganto Foundation Fellowship artist book series 2016 SLQ
Guy Begbie presents his keynote address – The Siganto Foundation Fellowship artist book series 2016 SLQ
Victoria Cooper and Lyn Ashby presentations – The Siganto Foundation Fellowship artist book series 2016-7 SLQ
Helen Douglas presents her keynote address – The Siganto Foundation Fellowship artist book series 2017 SLQ
Clyde McGill performs his book and a White Gloves presentation of artists books
– The Siganto Foundation Fellowship artist book series 2016 SLQ
Freestyle Books exhibition curated by Helen Cole at the State Library of Queensland 2008
Freestyle Books Symposium with Ron McBurnie, Peter Lyssiotis, Judy Watson, Jonathon Tse and others
at the State Library of Queensland 2008
At the launch of Ana Paula Estrada’s book MEMORANDUM – Ana Paula with Louis Lim and Annette Green 2016
Visiting Wim de Vos and Adele Outteridge at Studio West End Brisbane 2017
Visiting the 2017 Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair – Melbourne
David Dellafiora and Gracia Haby + Louise Jennison at the
2017 Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair – Melbourne
Ulrike Stoltz & Uta Schneider international presenters at Artists book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
A K Milroy + Brad Freeman – presenters at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Marian Crawford and Ana Paula Estrada presents their papers
Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Marian Macken presents at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Wim de Vos at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
A plenary session on artists books at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Noreen Grahame in her curated exhibition “… & So” – Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Barbara Davidson and Caren Florance at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Sue Poggioli and Anne-Maree Hunter at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Brad Freeman and Anita Milroy – Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Lyn Ashby and Sue Anderson at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Anna Welch, Des Cowley and Madeleine Say at Ballarat International Foto Biennale
World Photobook Day Book Fair 2019
Helen Cole presents and a floortalk – The First Focus of Artists Books and the Libris Awards at Artspace Mackay 2004
Looking at books and the opening crowd – Focus of Artists Books and the Libris Awards at Artspace Mackay 2004
Bruno Leti workshop – Focus of Artists Books and the Libris Awards at Artspace Mackay 2004
Focus of Artists Books and the Libris Awards at Artspace Mackay 2005
Caren Florance, Sasha Grishin and Dianne Fogwell in the ANU exhibition at FOAB 2005
Unknown lady, Adele Outteridge, Madonna Staunton and Wim de Vos and Sasha Grishin FOAB 2005
Focus of Artists Books and the Libris Awards at Artspace Mackay 2006
Robert Heather welcomes attendees + Marshall Weber presents Focus of Artists Books at Artspace Mackay 2006
Katherine Nix workshop – Focus of Artists Books at Artspace Mackay 2006
The installation view of the 2008 Libris Awards
Michael Wardell welcomes attendees and a Forum at the 4th Focus on Artists Books event and
Judge Michael Desmon presents his address to the 2008 Libris Award
Clyde McGill’s foyer artwork FOAB 2028
Michael Desmond presents his lecture in the 4th Focus on Artists Books event
2008 FOAB some of the presenters McGill, Fogwell, Florance and Cooper
Focus on Artists Books V and the 5th Libris Awards 2010
Michael Wardell addresses the attendees – 2010 Libris Awards and 5th Focus on Artists Book event
2010 FOAB Deanna Hitti in her exhibition ‘Bint Trembucky (daughter of the drum)’
Caren Florance and David Dellafiora in their workshops – 5th Focus on Artists Book
Victoria Cooper with Judy Barrass and Linda Douglas – 5th Focus on Artists Book
Barbara Davidson and Caren Florance with Sheree Kinlyside of Red Rag Press – 5th Focus on Artists Book
Victoria Cooper with Monica Oppen and Sara Bowen (Book Art Object), Julie Barratt and Caren Florance
Visiting the 2016 Libris Artists Book Award
Visiting the 2016 Libris Artists Book Award
Denise Vanderlugt with her highly commended bookwork I used to wrap rainbows and Jamian Stayt’s
Soulless evolution 2016 Libris Artists Book Award
graeme galleries’ 5th Artists’ Books + Multiples Fair in the Dell Gallery Griffith University 2007
Monica Oppen and Michael Wardell with Doug Spowart
at graeme galleries’ 5th Artists’ Books + Multiples Fair in the Dell Gallery Griffith University
Helen Cole + Dianne Fogwell and Stephen Spurrier + Normana White
at graeme galleries’ 5th Artists’ Books + Multiples Fair in the Dell Gallery Griffith University
Victoria Cooper with Dianne Longley and Anne-Maree Hunter
at graeme galleries’ 5th Artists’ Books + Multiples Fair in the Dell Gallery Griffith University
12th Edition Noosa Artists Book event ‘Back to Basics’ 2008
Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists Book Award 2006
Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists Book Award 2007
Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists Book Award judged by Robert Heather 2008
Judge Tara O’Brien announces the winner – Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists Book Award 2009
Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists Book Award 2011 – Judge Ross Woodrow
Peter Lyssiotis is his studio 2014
Ana Paula Estrada presenting her Mexican photobook collection in Maud Gallery, Brisbane 2017
Keith Smith and Scott McCarney in a workshop at West End Studios Brisbane 2006
Deanna Hitti’s exhibition of the book ‘A is for Alam (pen)’ at the State Library of Victoria 2022
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Any RSS reposting from this Blog without permission represents a breach of Copyright.
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ARTISTS BOOK BRISBANE: Print Culture Fiesta – Our Presence
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ABBE panorama PHOTO Helen Cole
The Artists Book Brisbane Event, known as ABBE held their 4th event, a Print Culture Fiesta, on November 26 at the Queensland College of Art’s Web Centre. We were there not so much in our physical form, but rather as a table presenting our latest artists book and photobook publications.
ABBE events were initiated at the Griffith Centre for Creative Arts Research in 2015. This year’s ABBE was expanded to embrace all aspects of print culture. Via a selection process around 30 small publishers, artists and designers attended the event to share their creative works to an audience of peers, collectors and those who just love to see and handle art in the print form.
Helen Cole in her library
While we were unable to attend, well-known artists book identity Helen Cole presented our books at the fair. Fellow artists book maker David Symons also was successful in his application for a table and shared the exhibition space next to us.
Other participants included: Alethea Richter, Ana Estrada, Annique Goldenberg, Bad Teeth Comics, Bronwyn Rees, cobalt editions, Cooper+Spowart, David Symons, Ebony Willmott, Geoff Burns, Glenda Chaplyn, Grey Hand Press, Helen Sanderson, IMPRESS, Ivy Minniecon, Jennifer Long, Kanako Enokid, Louis Lim, Maikki Toivanen, Mat Adams Comics, Matt Newkirk, Michael Phillips, Noshyacking Press, Peter Breen, Rachel Dun, Samantha-Jane Windred, silverwattle bookfoundry, Sue Poggioli, Swing Moon and the NightLadder collective.
Contacts and friends who participated in, or attended ABBE commented that it was a great opportunity to see all the artists works, meet up with friends and network with peers. We were also thrilled to be able to show our work as most of these books were only recently made this year.
abbe2022 Logo
SOME IMAGES OF THE EVENT courtesy of Helen Cole and David Symons
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OUR WORKS PRESENTED @ ABBE
Our presentation consisted mainly of 5 recently resolved and made by us. The main books are two from a continuing series relating to concepts surrounding ‘desire paths’ and follow on from an artists book made by Victoria for the Melbourne Art Book Fair in 2019. To see more information about this book CLICK HERE
The two new books Desire Paths: Navigating the path and Desire Paths: Stepping off the concrete take on an autobiographical response to our lives over recent years.
To see more information about Desire Paths: Navigating the path CLICK HERE
To see more information about Desire Paths: Stepping off the concrete CLICK HERE
As a result of relocation to Benalla in north east Victoria last year we have been inspired by our new location to create two books – one, a field report by Victoria, dealing with the natural environment and the other by Doug about walking and the suburban architectural space.
To see more information about Victoria’s Visual Field Notes book CLICK HERE
To see more information about Doug’s Walking Urban Ground book CLICK HERE
The 5th book is another in the continuing Artist Survey series for the Centre for Regional Arts Practice. This latest book relates to concerns and preparations for the regional artist to sell their home. At ABBE a selection of the final copies of the earlier 22 editions of these C.R.A.P. books. To see more information about this book CLICK HERE
COOPER+SPOWART ABBE Catalogue cover
DOWNLOAD OUR ABBE CATALOGUE HERE
We would like to acknowledge and thank Helen Cole and David Symons for their support in presenting our work at ABBE and also to the QCA team that made this opportunity happen …
Looking forward to the next ABBE … We’ll be there …
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ABBE 2022 PARTICIPANTS …
ABBE-Participants list
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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ABBE …
https://www.instagram.com/abbe_artistsbooks/
https://linktr.ee/abbe_artistsbooks
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WORLD PHOTOBOOK DAY @ Brisbane’s Maud Creative
World Photobook Day at Maud Creative Gallery Photo Robert Gray
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A survey project about those who read photobooks
My Favourite Photobook – Brisbane World Photobook Day
World Photobook Day (WPBD) in Brisbane Australia at Brisbane’s Maud Creative Gallery was celebrated with a survey project highlighting photographers and their photobooks curated by Victoria Cooper and Doug Spowart.
The international WPBD team chose this day in recognition of the British Library’s the acquisition of Anna Atkins’ Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype impressions on October 14 in 1843. Atkins’ cyanotype book is arguably considered as the world’s first photobook as both image and text are printed simultaneously printed on the same page. It was some time before the photograph and text could be co-printed, so books that included photographic illustrations, were usually printed with text by letterpress processes and photographs ‘tipped-in’ as original prints. WPBD activities are supported through the PhotoBook Club, a worldwide network of groups interesting in photobooks.
The Cooper+Spowart survey asked photographers to submit a photograph of themselves reading their favourite photobook and comment on why they like their chosen book. Sixty-five photographers responded to the request. Working on tight timelines Cooper and Spowart printed the photographer’s submissions including: their self-portraits while reading, their chosen book and a comment about why they had chosen the book. This work was presented for viewing on the gallery wall.
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Brisbane World Photobook Day, Maud Gallery Photo Doug Spowart
Looking at books – WPBD, Maud Gallery Photo Doug Spowart
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The event was also attended by photographica collector and historian Sandy Barrie who presented a selection of photographically illustrated books from the 19th century. These books include the 1846 Art Union journal that contained an essay by Henry Fox Talbot and an original calotype print.
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Sandy Barrie and the Art Union journal Photo: Doug Spowart
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Early in the evening a ‘fly-through’ video was made of the installation with some guests present.
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In the evening around 35 photobook enthusiasts attended a forum with panellists including Dr Heather Faulkner documentary transmedia practitioner and lecturer at the Queensland College of Art (Gold Coast), Chris Bowes artist and bookmaker, Julie Ann Sutton documentary photographer and collector, Helen Cole Senior Librarian and Coordinator of the Australian Library of Art at the State Library of Queensland, and Henri van Noordenberg artist and bookmaker. The forum was convened by Doug Spowart who in a Q&A format led discussion and a range of photobook issues including:
- Collecting books
- Possession and ownership
- Borrowing and loaning of books
- Adding bookplates and marginalia to books
- Letting children handle books
- The future of photobooks
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WPBD Forum Photo Daniel Groneberg
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The last poignant comment came from Heather Faulkner when speaking of the future printed book. In her statement she referred to the recent changes to privacy laws giving government agencies access and scrutiny over all of our online metadata. Faulkner’s prediction is that the physical book, as it has been in the past, will be the place for personal and provocative commentary on contemporary life and politics.
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Cooper+Spowart wish to acknowledge the following supporters of this project:
- The creative from Maud Gallery: Irena Prikryl, Teri Ducheck and Peter Pescell – videographer;
- Matt Johnston – The Photobook Club;
- Tony Holden and Ilford for the inkjet printing paper;
- Sandy Barrie;
- The forum panelists – Heather, Chris, Julie Ann, Helen and Henri;
- The installation team Maureen Trainor, Rene Thalmann, Mel Brackstone and Daniel Groneberg;
- And, of course, all the participants.
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To celebrate the Brisbane WPBD event BLURB Australia has offered a discount voucher for participants in the Brisbane event. The code and conditions are: WPBD2015, expires 30 November 2015. Must pay with Australian dollars. Maximum discount per book is AUD$150. Each customer can use the code 1 time.
SEE a few of the photographers and their favourite books in this download:
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DOWNLOAD A PDF SELECTION: WPBD-Selected_Submissions
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THE PROJECT WILL CONTINUE… Stay tuned.
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Previous WPBD events coordinated by Cooper+Spowart 2013 and 2014.
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The 67 participating photographers and their books were:
Peter Adams: Passage – Irving Penn
Melissa Anderson: Shooting Back – Jim Hubbard
Ying Ang: Sabine – Jacob Aue Sobol
Sandy Barrie: Art Union Journal, 1 June 1846 – Henry Fox Talbot essay
Chris Bowes: Tokyo Compression – Michael Wolf
Isaac Brown: Ray’s a Laugh – Richard Billingham
Harvey Benge: Blumen – Collier Schorr’s book
Camilla Birkeland: Mike and Doug Starn – Andy Grundberg
Daniel Boetker-Smith: In Flagrante – Chris Killip
Mel Brackstone: Melbourne and Me (a work in progress) – Adrian Donoghue
Helen Cole: Booked – Peter Lyssiotis
Victoria Cooper: Domesday Book – Peter Kennard
Michael Coyne: Workers -Sebastião Salgado
Judith Crispin: da Sud a Nord (from South to North) – Sabine Korth
Sean Davey: William Eggleston Paris
Jacqui Dean: Peter Adams – A Few of the Legends
John Elliott: Richard Avedon Portraits
Dawne Fahey: Julia Margaret Cameron – Marta Weiss
Heather Faulkner: The Notion of Family – La Toya Ruby Frazier
Liss Fenwick: Outland – Roger Ballen
Juno Gemes: Nothing Personal – Richard Avedon and text by James Baldwin
Kate Golding: Fig. – Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin
Philip Gostelow: Thank You – Robert Frank
Robert Gray: Max Yavno
Daniel Groneberg: Los Alamos – William Eggleston
Sam Harris: Café Lehmitz – Anders Petersen
Tony Hewitt: 50 Landscapes – Charlie Waite
Douglas Holleley: Man and His Symbols – Carl Jung
Kelly Hussey-Smith: On the Sixth Day – Alessandra Sanguinette
Libby Jeffery: Inferno – James Nachtwey
Matt Johnston: Touch – Peter Dekens
Larissa Leclair: Moisés – Mariela Sancari
Louis Lim: Blind – Sophie Calle
James McArdle: Love on the left bank – Ed van der Elsken
Paul McNamara: The Terrible Boredom of Paradise – Derek Henderson
Henri van Noordenberg: Cinci Lei – Joost Vandebrug
Gael Newton: By the sea – CR White
Glen O’Malley: A Modern Photography Annual 1974
Thomas Oliver: Common Sense – Martin Parr
Maurice Ortega: The Apollo Prophecies – Kahn and Selesnick
Adele Outteridge: Pompeii – Amedeo Maiuri
Polixeni Papapetrou: Diane Arbus
Martin Parr: Bye, Bye Photography – Daido Moriyama
Gael Phillips: Arcadia Britannica, A Modern British Folklore Portrait – Henry Bourne
Louis Porter: Looking Forward to Being Attacked – Lieutenant Jim Bullard
Imogen Prus: The Whale’s Eyelash, A Play in Five Parts – Timothy Prus
Jack Picone: Exiles – Josef Koudelka
Ian Poole: White Play – Takuya Tsukahara
Irena Prikryl: Cyclops – Albert Watson
Susan Purdy: nagi no hira, fragments of calm – Suda Issei
Jan Ramsay: AraName – Bir Ara Güler Kitabi
Jacob Raupach: The Family Album of Lucybelle Crater – Ralph Eugene Meatyard
Felicity Rea: Pandanus – Victoria Cooper
Mark Shoeman: Me We, Love Humanity and Us
Roger Skinner: Third Continent – Self-published
Doug Spowart: The Research Library, National Gallery of Australia
Tim Steele: The Earth From The Air – Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Alison Stieven Taylor: Strange Friends – Bojan Brecelj
Julie Ann Sutton: Katherine Avenue – Larry Sultan
Maureen Trainor: Sequences – Duane Michals
Garry Trinh: Period of Juvenile Prosperity – Mike Brodie
Ann Vardanega: Loretta Lux
George Voulgaropoulos: A shimmer of possibility – Paul Graham
Marshall Weber: Street Our Street – Dana Smith & Marshall Weber
David A Williams: Avedon Fashion
Konrad Winkler: Emmet Gowin the new Aperture book
Simon Woolf: F Lennard Casbolt Retrospective Exhibition Catalogue
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All photographs and texts remain the copyright of the submitting photographers.
ABBE: Artists books Brisbane Event 2015
ABBE Logo
For many years Queensland had a diversity of artists book activities: the bi-ennial Artspace Mackay Artists Book Forums and Libris Awards, the once yearly Noosa Artists Book Events and the Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists Book Awards. Also contributing to this fertile artists book environment the State Library of Queensland’s Australian Library of Art which included the SLQ’s Siganto Foundation fellowships, ‘white glove’ presentations and events. Added to this were exhibitions and artists book fairs coordinated by Grahame Galleries and other shows at scattered venues. With the recent demise of the Mackay, Noosa and Southern Cross events their absence was felt by the artists book community. Now a new event has emerged to add to the SLQ and Grahame Galleries support of the art – the Artists Book Brisbane Event (ABBE). Over July 16, 17 and 18 ABBE featured a triptych of activities; a conference, an exhibition of books, an artists book fair and allied exhibition events at the State Library of Queensland, Grahame Galleries, The Studio West End, the IMA and Impress Printmakers Gallery.
The conference sought to address 3 main themes relating to the artists book:
- post literacy
- materiality/the haptic
- the nature of reading artists books.
Three keynote presenters lead the program:
- Sarah Bodman – Senior Research Fellow for Artists Books, CFPR editor of the Blue Notebook
- Brad Freeman – Founder and editor in chief of the Journal of Artist’s Books
- Dr Lyn Ashby – Australian artist and scholar making books
Sarah Bodman presents her keynote lecture
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SARAH BODMAN (Abstract)– ARTISTS’ BOOKS AS A PHYSICAL SITE OF PRACTICE
If a post-Literate society might also encompass new ways of thinking about reading, we could think of contemporary artists’ books as a site of practice beyond that of McLuhan’s sign posting of the invention of moveable type as fundamentally responsible for how the Western world physically reads: “along the straight Lines of the printed page.”
We seem to have already moved from Linear to non-linear reading; we are used to flitting through digital screen-based texts, and losing our attention through a multitude of online multi-tasking. Physical engagement with artists’ books provides us with spaceto breathe, a slower rhythm of ingesting information and time to reflect, so what about the artists who are making them? How are artists engaging with the physical book now?
These examples focus on celebrating the book as a physical container used by artists to: re-present language, offer performative reading, view how reading is perceived, appropriate text from novels and instructional manuals into new works, or to transform information from the virtual into the physical.
Brad Freeman presents his keynote lecture
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BRAD FREEMAN (Abstract) – JOURNAL OF ARTISTS’ BOOKS
Brad Freeman’s Lecture focussed on JAB, the Journal of Artists’ Books, that supports critical inquiry into artists’ books. Since 1994 JAB has published interviews with contemporary artists whose primary medium is the artist book, reviews of artists’ books, and essays about historical issues and contemporary artists and their work. JAB has a two pronged approach to culture creation via publication arts; an educational approach with critical writing and documentation of current activity; and second, a creative approach with publication art-exploring the creative potential of print and the book by commissioning artists’ covers (letterpress and offset), artist designed pages, and artists’ books made especially for insertion into JAB.
Lyn Ashby presents his keynote lecture
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LYN ASHBY (Abstract) – POSTLITERACY AND ARTISTSBOOKS: Coming to our senses with a modern mythic form
This presentation is a speculation on the idea that contemporary artistsbooks may be the laboratory for a new literacy, and that in honor of the quietly evolutionary nature of this new literacy, we might call it “postliteracy”.
As background, it explores how our centuries of standard literacy and its attendant conventions of pictorial space and chronological, narrative time, have privileged a specific code in the representations of our language systems (both image and text) and their operations across the page and through the book. The prescriptions of these conventions and the domination of the line and the grid onto the look of language have come to minimise the participation (and uncertainty) of the senses in the direct process of apprehending meaning with language forms.
But the pages of artistsbooks are often filled with the explorations of other ways that language forms can activate a lively, sensory involvement with the page space, or how meaning can be formulated beyond the limitations of chronology.
Some of these experiments involve the invocation of pre literate, oral language structures that work more by the devices and grammars of music, song and myth than the usual strategies of standard literacy. in this way, the contemporary artistsbook may be the hardcopy home of a modern, mythic form.
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Doug Spowart performs his lecture ‘I’m about to ‘read’ a book’
Victoria Cooper presents her lecture ‘The Grafted Image: The Montage’
Tim Mosely presents in the lecture room
Presenting/Participating at the conference
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- Lyn Ashby
- Sarah Bodman
- Sara Bowen
- Deidre Brollo
- Helen Cole
- Victoria Cooper
- Marian Crawford
- Daniel Della-Bosca
- Fiona Dempster
- Caren Florance
- Jenny Fraser
- Brad Freeman
- Angela Gardner
- Noreen Grahame
- Bridget Hillebrand
- Joel Lardner
- Marian Macken
- Tim Mosely
- Adele Outteridge
- Mikhail Pogarsky
- Doug Spowart
- Kym Tabulo
- Wim de Vos
- Gabriella Wilson
Invite – ‘books by artists’
- books by artists’ in the Webb Gallery, QCA
The ‘books by artists’ exhibitors
- Isaac Brown
- Blogger_dad
- Penny Carey-Wells
- Victoria Cooper
- Caroline Craig
- Fiona Dempster
- Hesam Fetrati Angela Gardner
- Annique Goldenberg
- Alannah Gunter
- Institute of Modern Art Cassandra Lehman-Schultz
- Alison Mackay
- Judy Macklin
- Heather Matthew
- Tess Mehonoshen
- Christine Mellor
- Tim Mosely
- night ladder collective
- Naomi O’Reilly
- Adele Outteridge
- Mona Ryder
- Rose Rigley
- Glen Skien
- Doug Spowart
- Wim de Vos
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THE ABBE ARTISTS BOOK FAIR
Artists Book Fair
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Artists Book Fair stallholders
Sue Anderson + Gwen Harrison
Lyn Ashby
Sara Bowen (no image taken)
Deidre Brollo with Christene Drewe and Helen Cole
Penny Carey-Wells
Centre for Regional Arts Practice (Cooper+Spowart) (no image taken)
Marian Crawford with Sarah Bodman
Daniel Dell-Bosca with Victoria Cooper
Robyn Foster + Fiona Dempster
Caren Florance
Robyn Foster (no image taken)
Brad Freeman JAB
Angela Gardner
Griffith Centre for Creative Arts Research (no image taken)
Impress Printmakers: Sue Poggioli + Jennifer Stuerzl
Institute of Modern Art
Sheree Kinlyside
Clyde McGill
Heather Matthew
Anita Milroy book – ‘Biography of a Physicist’ (Image supplied by the artist)
Adele Outteridge + Wim de Vos
QCA Gold Coast (no image taken)
silverwattle bookfoundry (Tim Mosely)
Peta Smith
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ABBE participants also visited Grahame Galleries, The Studio West End and the State Library of Queensland
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The SLQ White Gloves team Christene, Helen and Jeanette
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ABBE Logo
ABBE was an initiative of the Griffith Centre for Creative Arts Research and was coordinated by Dr Tim Mosely and Dr Lynden Stone.
All photographs © 2015 Doug Spowart
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
ARTISTS BOOK FLASH MOB create collaborative Artists Survey Book
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Artist Book Flash Mob and the Artists Survey Book @ Grafton Regional Gallery
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Artists Survey #15
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During our Artist in Residence at the Grafton Regional Gallery we chose to conduct a Centre for Regional Arts Practice event that would culminate in a collaborative Artist Survey chapbook. The 15th edition of the Artists Survey comments on the idea that regional artists engaging travel as a necessary part of their arts practice. The book is entitled NOMAD: Journeying for art.
Whether it is for residencies, such as we are currently undertaking, or to attend conferences, seminars and workshops – or – just to encounter something new to inform one’s life or feelings for place, all artists travel. This theme was to be embraced by each of the participating artists. Three of the ‘Artists Book Flash Mob’ came from Brisbane, Lismore and Alstonville and were joined by 5 local Grafton artists for the two-day event. The contributing artists were: Julie Barratt, Cher Breeze, Darren Bryant, Helen Cole, Victoria Cooper, Jo Kambourian, Louise Kirby, Evey Miller, Cass Samms, Hayley Skeggs and Doug Spowart.
Each artist brought objects and materials that were then transformed by their approach to the theme through of their chosen medium. Art making techniques included stamping, collage, digital montage, altered pages, painting, photomontage, photocopy art, images of glass etching, stitching, sewing and paper sculpture. Many ideas were resolved through collaboration with fellow artists during the event.
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Artists Survey #15 NOMAD:Journeying for Art
Two pages from inside the book – Artists Survey #15 NOMAD: Journeying for Art
Two pages from inside the book – Artists Survey #15 NOMAD: Journeying for Art
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The workspace – must be lunchtime @ the cafe!
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Frenetic times of activity were interspersed with conversation, a sunset soiree, Thai dinner and coffee and cakes from the gallery’s café. At noon on the second day so much still needed to be completed. Each artist concentrated on their own multiple artworks – requiring 60 individual pieces. By mid afternoon, as each artist’s work was near completion, attention could be turned toward the collaborative outcome: cutting, printing and folding covers, collating of the pages, and beginning the process of sewing the finishing 3 hole pamphlet stitch.
At end of the weekend all that was left to do was the binding of the books and each artist has taken their five copies to finish in personal time. We all departed with a renewed energy enriched by the experience and enjoyment of artmaking along with the exchange of ideas and knowledge that was shared in the intimate space of the studio. Further copies of the NOMAD: Journeying for art will be passed on to significant artists book collections around the country.
We thank the participating artists for their participation and contribution to another C.R.A.P. (Centre for Regional Arts Practice) event.
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The artist book flash mob
Helen at work
Hayley at work
Louise at work
Jo at work
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© 2013 Victoria Cooper and Doug Spowart. The copyright in individual artworks resides with the artists.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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COMMENTARIES: ARTISTS BOOKS … AS POPULAR AS TATOOs!
The wide view
COMMENTARIES ARISING FROM THE SLQ SIGANTO FOUNDATION SEMINAR
The trouble with artists’ books
State Library of Queensland – May 4, 2013
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The quote “artists’ books … as popular as tatoos” was an opening remark by gallerist Noreen Grahame
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All great seminars, forums, conferences and meetings stir discussion and commentary; The trouble with artists’ books seminar was no exception. We approached a number of artists book people to contribute to this blog post responding to the stimulus created by the event – I have included their responses after my introductory comments.
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In Volume 7 of the Bonefolder e-journal I reported on the dual artists book events of the 2010 Artspace Mackay Focus on Artists Book V, event and the 3rd Libris Awards. In this report I commented on the speaker’s presentations and reviewed the artists book award. I then concluded that these events were integral to the development and maintenance of a community of practice for those who make artists books in this country. Three years on the energy and enthusiasm for artists’ books remains however the Mackay Focus event has been abandoned and some awards events have slipped from their usual place in the yearly/bi-yearly calendar.
We are indeed indebted to the Siganto Foundation and the SLQ who in 2012 made possible the Keith Smith and Scott McCarney workshop and seminar, and this year the The trouble with artists’ books seminar. It seems to me that artists book community in this country has a great appetite for information, connecting with the heroes and heroines of the discipline, learning about methods and techniques as well as participating in camaraderie with their peers. My concluding words in the Bonefolder report recognised the importance of events such as Artspace’s Focus on Artists Books and the Libris Awards as they invigorate the discipline and the art of artists books … The significant response to this seminar indicates that the pace and frequency of artists book events should not slacken – we want more!
The Bonefolder report concluding comments were:
Awareness of the origins of the discipline of artists’ books and the Australian context as well as issues of contemporary and emergent practice is a unique outcome for FOAB. Where else in Australia this year would one be able to experience, or participate in a program where issues as diverse as Avatars making books in their second life, the death of the book/author, wild books and zoo viewing of books, propositions for new perceptive literature, mail art and the products of psychometry being resolved as artists’ books? Perhaps attendees should be warned of the ride that they would encounter.
Central to need for the FOAB, as an event, is its ability to pull together artists’ book interested people and provide a forum for them to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Artists’ bookmakers are individual artists, sometimes collaborators, librarians, academics, gallerists and collectors are isolated as islands of interest in their usual place of activity. But at FOAB they meet, greet, mingle, chat, discuss, argue and get down to the flensing-out of ideas, polemics and concerns about practice and the book as a work of art. This blend of interested parties forms the nucleus, the hub, of the discipline within this country – without it, there would only be individual soliloquies in the wilderness
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Julie Barratt
Julie Barratt – Artist
I guess really briefly what I got from ‘the trouble with artist book ‘ talk if I was going to quote is ” it seems the trouble with artist books is that there are too many to love!!!” On a more serious note I guess for me it always comes down to how we talk about/define an artist book, as an ongoing discussion.
Almost on a daily basis when I had the gallery (I always had at lead a few artist books on display) people would ask what these books are! How to define them without quoting Johanna Drucker? Should there be categories i.e. Sculptural, digital etc etc. How do we expect the audience to understand them if we as practitioners have difficulty talking about them? But how do we agree on a definition?
That’s what I imagined the forum to be about because ‘isn’t that the trouble with artist books’? Having said that I thoroughly enjoyed the forum and think there need to be many many more of them when in fact there seem to be less (Mackay forum? ) so that the discussion can continue….
Its always a pleasure to catch up with the artist book community, feels like a reunion every time!
Julie
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Maureen Trainor
Maureen Trainor – Photographer and QCA Masters student
I found these presentations to be very informative and inspiring.
The content and sequence of the presentations were dynamic.
By breaking down the delivery into the three different viewpoints the three Keynote speakers were engaging and thought provoking.
Starting with Helen Cole presenting ‘the Librarian’s view’, Noreen Grahame presenting ‘the Gallerist’s view’, Jan Davis presenting ‘the Artist’s view’ and ending with an interactive audience time for ‘questions and answers’ was right on target with information.
The Hearsay team discussing their project was fantastic. Combined with humour and wit they certainly kept the attention of a diverse audience.
I truly enjoyed the afternoon and felt I could of stayed into the night with more speakers and presentations.
Maureen
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Monica Oppen
Monica Oppen – Artist and collector
The Trouble with Artists’ Books (and the Libris Awards)
Coming away from the SLQ seminar where the attendance was so strong and having attended the opening and announcement of the Libris Award at Artspace Mackay the conviction that has risen strongly in my mind is that there is a real need for events such as the SLQ Siganto Seminar. The strong attendance not only indicates a real interest in the topic but a desire of artists to reconnect with others working in the field. As Helen writes in her post about the Libris Awards, and I can vouch for it, there were very, very few artists there but also no other significant persons from the institutions who have an ongoing interest and involvement in artists’ books were there. The tyranny of distance and the associated costs of travel and accommodation will only be overcome by creating an event that is worth travelling for.
The topic The Trouble with Artists Books is pertinent and complex and was way too big to handle in one afternoon; a multi-day conference could have been structure around this topic. Time restrictions meant that Jan Davis and Noreen Grahame could only touch on, hint at and introduce the work/books from which a broader discussion could have expanded. The sense that there is a need for these seminars (judging from the attendance numbers) also hopefully indicates a need for more rigorous, mature critical discourse around the genre, a breadth of conversation and argument. Does the constant discussion of definition and the non-committal responses from ‘those who should know’ arise from this lack of discourse? I don’t consider the definition ‘if the artist calls it a book, it is a book’ to be an adequate, exciting nor empowering definition unless some force is allowed to work in opposition to it, that demands a justification, demands some critical analysis. The lines will always be blurry but this could be an energizing force and contribute a dynamism to the genre. By not taking a stand are we in fact leaving definitions to the gallery? Surely the gallery as a medium is the antithesis of the (artists’) book. The gallery is exposed and extraverted; the book is enclosed and introverted. Always it comes up, the problem with exhibiting artists books— this is because books are not meant to be exhibited, they are meant to be read. What are the implications for the genre if books are only viewed in the gallery, and more seriously if the gallery maintains a ‘no touch’ policy? Ironically, making a (artist’s) book was originally about abandoning the gallery; about the subversion of the commercialism of the art object. The book was meant to be a free-floating object in wider society. Where is that rebel spirit?
A hundred more questions could be asked. I hope the SLQ seminar is not a one-off but gives an impetus to more symposiums throughout the country.
Monica Oppen 14/5/13
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Judy Barrass
Judy Barrass – Artist
THIS COMMENTARY COMES FROM JUDY’s BLOG – ‘Critical Mass’ http://www.criticalmassblog.net/2012/?p=2568
No one can agree on what they are, or even where the apostrophe should be placed, but a seminar on artists’ books at the State Library on Saturday drew a crowd.
It was a rare get-together of artist book makers and officianados, with attendees travelling from other states and regional Queensland just to attend the two-and-a-half-hour seminar and catch up with old friends.
According to the speakers, librarian Helen Cole, gallerist Noreen Grahame, and artist book maker and academic Jan Davis, artist books are problematic. That’s not just because no one seems to be able to agree on a definition, but also because they are hard to store, hard to display, and are not usually included in mainstream collections or exhibitions. They attract mostly a smallish group of makers and collectors and don’t sell in large numbers. Despite this, artists’ books draw a passionate audience of makers and supporters whenever they are on show (or whenever there’s a seminar).
Queensland has been a leader in the artist book phenomenon. The Queensland State Library is a significant collector, and Grahame Galleries took an early leading role. Artspace Mackay and Noosa Regional Gallery added public gallery support to exhibitions and collecting.
Someone suggested that it’s an inbred audience made up almost entirely of artist book makers, but a show of hands in the crowd on Saturday debunked this myth since at least half the attendees were not makers. Still, as Noreen Grahame remarked, artist books are a sort of ‘underground’ movement outside the mainstream.
I can’t help wondering if this is merely a question of naming. By calling these artworks ‘books’ they are relegated to the collections of libraries rather than art galleries, or they exist in a no man’s land between library and gallery. Nonetheless I have seen many works in public art gallery collections that could (or perhaps should) be called artist books. The boundaries are thin and flexible, and this was evident at the seminar. The mantra seems to be that if the artist calls it a book then it is a book.
One of the more interesting questions on the day was about the growing number of artist books that exist only in digital format. Helen Cole said the library was considering how these books might be collected and preserved, but indicated it was extremely difficult, particularly as technology changes so rapidly and formats and software become obsolete. Noreen Grahame solved the problem by referring to digital books as ‘ephemera’, and Jan Davis thought the number of artists working in the digital realm was small.
Following the discussion, a very chatty audience enjoyed a scrumptious afternoon tea and the launch of Hearsay, a large format collaborative artists’ book by artist Euan Macleod, printmaker Ron McBurnie, and writer Lloyd Jones. They apparently didn’t worry too much whether or not their work was or was not an artist book, but have sensibly hedged their bets by also producing the pages as a portfolio of unbound prints (in case anyone thought it wasn’t art, or more probably because the portfolio might be more saleable than an artist book ).
The seminar ‘The Trouble with Artist Books’ was sponsored by the Siganto Foundation through the Queensland Library Foundation.
The State Library artist book collection is part of the Australian Library of Art.
(Thank you Judy for allowing this re-posting in this blog)
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Wim de Vos
Wim de Vos – Artist
‘The Trouble with Artists Books’
The lecture sponsored by the Siganto Foundation was very well attended by a large audience of art practitioners, administrators, and lovers of Artists Books, and was introduced by the new head of the State Library, Janette Wright. The speakers were Helen Cole, Senior Librarian of Special Collections at the Library; Noreen Grahame, Gallerist and long time respected promoter of the Artist Books within Australia and Internationally; and Jan Davis, Academic, and practitioner of Artists Books at Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW.
Technically the lecture was informative, ran smoothly and was very well presented.
It was great to see so many practitioners (well over half the audience) and the general public, as this event facilitated a forum – to share, and some time to catch up with friends and colleagues. This has over the last few years become non-existent with the loss of the Art Space Mackay Artist Book Forum. Also the Noosa Regional Gallery’s ‘demise’ of the Artists Book annual exhibition was a sad occurrence. In addition, both venues offered successful workshops with renowned National and International Practitioners in the Visual Arts to nurture the visual arts and the book.
Many aspects of the development of Artists Books were addressed. Helen Cole addressed the ‘Trouble with Artists Books’ from a Librarian’s point of view, in that, because they were ‘Artists Books’ and diverse in so many ways, the logistics of preservation, cataloguing and storage were ‘Troublesome’. Furthermore, it was stated that the ‘Galleries’ had passed the Artists Books onto Libraries to display and make use of them, and by making Libraries the custodians of the ever-growing phenomenon of the Artists Book.
The concept of Artists Books is generally not an easy topic to present. It is in fact generally not understood at all. A friend recently pointed out, ‘I didn’t even know that an artist book existed, but as I have learnt through the language of art over time, I can say, I view this process as Book Works by Artists.’ A major exhibition of books of this nature: DAS BUCH was presented at the Queensland Art Gallery in association with the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney and the Goethe Institut in Germany during 1992. This was, I’m sure, a huge influence on art practitioners and the public. At the time, it placed an emphasis on the ‘Book as Object’ in a context never before experienced in the Antipodes. There has been no major exhibition of this type in a public gallery in this State, since.
As I am a practising artist and maker of prints, paintings, and sculpture, and work with a wide variety of materials, the book as object comes naturally as a medium to extend my practice. It has in fact tied together all my processes of making art, including text, giving me the freedom of story telling on many levels.
I observed, as the afternoon progressed, that in the presentation not all aspects of Artists Books practice was being fully covered and explored by the presenters. This became, indeed, troublesome. There is actually content within books, books with text, images and text, objects and materials, and so on. There was very little mentioned on the subject of the Sculptural Book or the Photo Book. A visual list WAS presented with images of the types of books that were in the collection of the Library. But no further elaboration was offered to those in the audience that were not already ‘in the know’. The State Library of Queensland has one of the largest collections of Creative & Historical books in the southern hemisphere.
Let it be said that we can be proud of a comprehensive, diverse, eclectic and public collection of books – particularly in the collection of Contemporary Art practice in Queensland and beyond. It is promoted that it ‘may be visited at any time, by appointment’.
I recognise that there is not time to cover everything fully. This made duplication and repetition even more irritating. Time may have been used more productively.
The lecture continued with the history of the Artists Book and it’s growth within Australia over the last 30 odd years. This painted an impressive picture of collections and practise over that time. Artists were mentioned who were instrumental in its development, but presenters did not go far enough on this issue, and failed to mention key motivators: artists both local and international. There was a ‘flow of words’ promoting a few artists over and over again. When the presentation of ‘Favourite Artists Books’ was introduced the theme of the lecture was totally abandoned. We were presented with a self-indulgent diversion as to what the book may mean only to the ‘literate Artists Book fans’ present.
It would have been more useful to give the audience an indication of how they may wish to learn more about Artist Books through the public and private system. There was enough talent and experience behind the microphone to impart this information. It seemed much of this lecture was preaching to the converted.
Afternoon tea on the terrace was followed by the launch of a collaboration of an Artist Book created by two well-known visual artists: Ewan McCloud and Ron McBurnie, and the writer Lloyd Jones. This was a very good presentation chaired by Suzi Muddiman: Director of the Murwillumbah Regional Art Gallery in NSW. This gave the opportunity for the layperson to experience the processes of collaboration in art making.
As there are no indications of any follow-up lecture or activities relating to Artist Books, it would be worthwhile to plan something on the promotion and educational aspects of Artists Books. I am sure it would be a great success.
A ‘large bouquet’ to Helen Cole in particular, and the State Library, for organising this generally informative and pleasant afternoon. We look forward to a more expansive event in the future.
Wim de Vos
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Peter Lyssiotis
Peter Lyssiotis – Artists book-maker and photomonteur
Peter’s letter
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A vodcast for the event is available at http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/audio-video/webcasts/recent-webcasts/siganto-seminar
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Cheers Doug+Victoria
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© Of all texts resides with the authors
Photograph of the SLQ Theatre, Julie Barratt, Monica Oppen, Wim de Vos © Doug Spowart 2013. Self-portrait of Maureen Trainor ©2013. Judy Barrass portrait supplied by Judy.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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2013 LIBRIS AWARDS: THE JUDGE’S VIEW
As a departure from our usual format of WOT WE DID, we invited a Guest Blogger – eminently qualified Helen Cole, to comment on an event that we were unable to attend. Helen was the judge for the 2013 Libris Artists Book Awards and in this post she talks about WOT SHE DID, and provides insights into the awards and selects artists books to add to her commentary:
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Artspace Mackay Libris Artists Book awards… some thoughts
2013 Libris Awards installation ………Photo: Helen Cole
2013 Libris Awards installation ………Photo: Helen Cole
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The Libris exhibition, as always, looks fantastic in the Artspace gallery. The works are very varied, from codexes, scrolls, altered books, and boxes to woven and sculptural pieces.
Julie Barrett: The mourning after …….Photo: Helen Cole.
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The first thing that struck me when presented with the ninety books for the judging of the Libris Awards at Artspace Mackay was something that came up in our Trouble with artists’ books seminar last week- the inadequacy of the digital surrogate. Anna Thurgood, Director of Artspace Mackay had sent me images of each of the entries. Seeing them in the flesh mad me realize I had wildly mis-imagined the size of some of the works. For example, Julie Barratt’s The mourning after, perhaps 50 x 70 cm, I had imagined as a small hand-sized book. Conversely Julie Bookless’ (interesting name for a bookmaker and a potential title for her book as it had neither image nor text but was still a very interesting work) Audrey was a tiny 10 cm tall when I imagined it to be at least octavo size. Size does matter and it does have an effect on the impact of a book.
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Julie Bookless: Audrey ……..Photo Helen Cole
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A noticeable difference between this and past awards was that, because there was no associated forum, very few of the artists who had entered attended the announcement of the award. This connection of the artists’ book community was such a wonderful part of the previous Mackay events and is perhaps the reason we had such a large attendance at The trouble with artists’ books seminar.
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WINNER Category 1. $10,000 Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal National Artists Book Award,
Michele Skelton, Wave form, woodblock print, unique. …….Photo: Helen Cole
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The quality of the entries this year was very high and any of a dozen works could have won the major prize. The winner Wave form by Michele Skelton looks simple (in a photo) but as I said a photo can be deceiving; the book is deeply thought out and faultlessly constructed. It appears sculptural but is actually a traditional codex form with spine, cover and pages. The cover represents the calm of the sea and the shore when the book is closed and when it is opened the pages sewn into the spine spill out as waves which can be arranged and twisted to represent a raging sea. The choice of paper is perfect to allow this. The waves are printed from a woodblock and this choice of technique works beautifully with the colour and subject to evoke the classic Hokusai image The great wave. It has the advantage that it is an artist’s book that can be seen as a whole while on display without handling.
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Caren Florance: WYSIWYG ………Photo: Helen Cole
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Another work that does that is Caren Florance’s clever WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get). To enable the viewer to see the whole book without having to touch it, Caren letterpress printed a sheet multiple times then cut and bound the pages so that one line from each page is visible. They build up to a witty text written to the reader from the book’s point of view, stating that it understands the viewer’s problem and hopes it has solved it. And it has.
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Helen Cole … Coordinator, Australian Library of Art, State Library of Queensland
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Thank you Helen for this commentary
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SEE THE OFFICIAL AWARD WINNERS AND IMAGES OF THE OPENING AND THE BOOKS FROM THE ARTSPACE MACKAY WEBSITE:
http://www.artspacemackay.com.au/whats_on/news/libris_awards_photo_gallery
http://www.artspacemackay.com.au/whats_on/news/and_the_winner_is…
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SEE ANOTHER BLOG WITH ENTRY PICS AND LINKS TO ARTIST’S PAGES.
http://moreidlethoughts.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/more-from-the-libris-awards/
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All photographs © Helen Cole 2013. Copyright in the artworks resides with the artists.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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wotwedid 
BRITISH LIBRARY Acquires our cyanotype artists’ book
with 5 comments
A statement about the artwork
Across Australia over the January 26th long weekend, people prepare, cook and consume food to mark this day in history.
For us, this work is our response to, and in recognition of, the ‘turning of the page’ in Australian history that this date represents. One day, January 25th 1788, Aboriginal people feasted on a diverse banquet of bush tucker as they had for thousands of years. The next day, the country was transformed by a new paradigm represented in this work by the table setting of the First Fleet.
Australia Day, for us, is an important time to acknowledge the First Peoples’ perspective and their knowing of land, culture and history and how it should be recognised as underpinning the diversity and identity of contemporary Australia. We, as descendants of European people, are seeking to understand and know more about our place within the longer history of this land.
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View 1: Australian Banquet, January 25/ 26, 1788
The 25th of January side of the broadsheet is viewed and contemplated.
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View 2: Australian Banquet, January 25/ 26, 1788
The broadsheet is then turned over to view the 26th of January side.
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View 3: Australian Banquet, January 25/ 26, 1788
Finally the broadsheet is held up to the light – the complex interrelationship between the two visual references to be seen and considered.
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A unique state artists’ book broadsheet
TITLE: Australian Banquet January 25/26, 1788
MEDIA: Double-sided cyanotype image in rice paper
DIMENSIONS: 37.6 x 77cm
PLACE & DATE MADE: Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, 2010
EDITION: 7 unique state variants
SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE BOOK’S HISTORY
COLLECTIONS, EXHIBITIONS & AWARDS:
2020 COLLECTION: British Library
2015 EXHIBITED: Books by Artists – The Webb Gallery as part of the Artists Book Brisbane Event, Conference at the Queensland College of Art, Brisbane
2014 EXHIBITED: Artist’s Books (reprised) [artists’ books 1978-2014] – George Paton Gallery, University of Melbourne
2014 EXHIBITED: Alternative Imaging – Curated by Dawne Fahey at Two Doors Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney
2011: COLLECTION: Australian Library of Art, State Library of Queensland
2011 SHORTLISTED: Southern Cross University Artists’ Book Award, Lismore. Judge: Ross Woodrow
2011 EXHIBITED: BLUE – Arts Council Toowoomba members exhibition, Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery
2010 AWARD WINNER: Martin Hanson Awards, Gladstone Regional Art Gallery – Works on Paper
2010 EXHIBITED: Art Bound – Red Gallery, Glebe, Sydney
2010 FINALIST: Josephine Ulrick & Win Schubert Photography Award – Gold Coast City Gallery. Judge: Judy Annear
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Text and © Doug Spowart+Victoria Cooper
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Written by Cooper+Spowart
January 26, 2020 at 1:20 pm
Posted in Artists Books, Cyanotypes, Wot happened on this day
Tagged with 1788, artists' book cyanotype, Australia Day comment, Australia Day in art, colonial Australia, cyanotype, Helen Cole, invasion day, January 25/ 26, View 1: Australian Banquet