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ARTISTS BOOK BRISBANE: Print Culture Fiesta – Our Presence

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ABBE panorama PHOTO Helen Cole

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

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

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

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

ABBE-Participants list

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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ABBE …

https://www.instagram.com/abbe_artistsbooks/

 

https://linktr.ee/abbe_artistsbooks

 

abbe2022 artist images for website & instagram - abbe2022

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BOOKS & ANZ PHOTOBOOK AWARDS – 22&23 September 2018

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Australian 2016 Photobooks of the Year Finalists

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TWO SPECIAL PHOTOBOOK EVENTS IN BRISBANE ORGANISED BY THE PHOTOBOOK CLUB BRISBANE

Photobook Club Logo

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Event 1 – VIEW PHOTOBOOKS FRIDAY (FREE)

22nd September evening presents the very best of contemporary photobooks from Australia and New Zealand from the recent Photobook of the Year Awards.

Meet Libby Jeffery from the Award’s Patron MOMENTO PRO.

Come in and look at the books from 5.30pm — The viewing will close at 8.00pm.

Location: MAUD GALLERY – 6 Maud Street, Newstead, Brisbane.

 

ANZ Photobook Awards at Maud Gallery

 

TO BOOK this event do so on this Facebook page: PHOTOBOOK FRIDAY FACEBOOK EVENT

 

Event 2 – TALKING BOOKS SATURDAY (FREE)

23 September – a free day of presentations about making photobooks and talking about the latest local and international photobooks.

Saturday September 23 10.30am – 4.00pm

Location: MAUD GALLERY – 6 Maud Street, Newstead, Brisbane.

 

Libby Jeffery – MomentoPro

 

At 11.00am

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Libby Jeffery from MomentoPro

Libby will talk about all things that make a difference for self publishers including:

  • Crowdfunding for projects

  • Working with editors, designers, reviewers, printers, distributors, publicists

  • The value of awards like Australian Photoboook of the Year Awards

  • Art book fairs

  • Print-on-demand services

 

From 1.00-4.00pm

HEAR FROM SOME LOCAL PHOTOBOOK MAKERS & THEIR BOOKS

 

Dane Beesley and his books

The images in Dane’s book The Road trace an unknown timeline to an unknown destination, where he appears only as a tall shadow. There’s an honesty, a quest for truth, perhaps a naiveté in the images reminiscent of cinéma vérité that captures the adolescent wanderlust it seeks to document.

 

David Symons and his book

David will show the ‘ins and outs’ of the work that he produced at the Siganto Foundation artists’ book workshops and a masterclass held at the State Library of Queensland earlier this year with UK artist Helen Douglas.

 

Neil Degney and his book You are here

The images in Neil’s book have been taken on the streets of inner city Brisbane over the years 2014 to 2017. The title references the ubiquitous wayfinding signs often found in unfamiliar environments that enable us to determine our geographical position and plan a course towards our intended destination. It is also my Instagram user name all the images have at some time been posted to Instagram. The photographs are taken with a camera phone and processed using an app called Snapseed. (Neil is scheduled in October to have the next exhibition at Maud Gallery).

 

Isaac Brown and his book This Rock Between Us

This Rock Between Us investigates the difficult relationship between my father and me. Hard, floating, and an unsubstantiated substance, the rock appears and vanishes from moment to moment. This handmade photobook attempts to represent the relationship as a physicality, as an object that exists ‘in-between’, and built, by my father and me.

 

HEAR ABOUT RECENT PHOTOBOOK EVENTS ACTIVITIES IN ATHENS, MALAYSIA & VIENNA

 

Louis at the Obscura Festival

Louis will be presenting some photobooks he had the pleasure of reading from his recent visit to the Obscura Festival 2017, as well as his recent work-in-progress photobook An Opened Letter.

 

Justin Ma

In March 2017 Justin Ma was invited to do a photography workshop with Antoine D’agata in Athens, Greece. The workshop was hosted by VOID, a new organisation in Athens focussed on alternative publishing, exhibitions and workshops mainly based around photography as well as other visual arts. During the event at Maud Justin will be showing a few examples of publications from VOID including their collaboration with Antoine D’agata’s latest book “Cidade de Pedra”.

 

Martin Parr talking photobooks with Vicky and Doug in Vienna

Doug and Vicky will talk about their experiences at the Vienna Photo Book Festival, meeting Martin Parr and Gerry Badger and show some of the books they bought home from the Festival.

 

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SEE BOOKS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

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TO BOOK SATURDAY PLEASE REGISTER ON THE EVENTBRITE SITE LISTED BELOW.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/talking-books-photobook-club-brisbane-event-tickets-37573180394

 

Maud Gallery sign

Thank You Maud Gallery for supporting this Photobook Club Brisbane event.

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DARK LOVE: Stories of the darkroom @ Maud Gallery

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dark-love-logo-stre-1000

 

It seems that in the digital age many photographers still pine for the days past when the darkroom was familiar territory. While older photographers may have fond memories, today they share their darkroom love with new-comers, mainly younger and digitally native photographers. To honour the past and to celebrate the future of the darkroom we worked with the Director of Maud Creative Gallery Irena Prikryl recently to host a series of events and workshops to recognise analogue photography in contemporary photographic practice.

 

On November 8 a group of photographers responded to the call to attend an event at the gallery called DARK LOVE: Stories of the Darkroom. They were asked to come along with something special about the darkroom and tell a story associated with it. On arrival at the gallery their photographs were prepared and then hung on the wall.  The presentations were timed at around 5 minutes and were quite fascinating.

 

Part of the Dark Love exhibition at Maud Gallery

Part of the Dark Love exhibition at Maud Gallery

What follows is a photo of the attendee, their print and a brief comment about their stories …

 

Alex Buckingham

Alex Buckingham

Alex spoke about working with Liquid Light emulsions

 

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Victoria Cooper

Victoria Cooper discussed the making of this pinhole biscuit tin photo and the challenges of printing the 6x18cm negative

 

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Thomas Oliver

Thomas spoke about his current academic research in the multiple printing of a single negative.

 

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Tammy Forward

Tammy discussed the making of a studio portrait.

 

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Sandy Barrie

Sandy spoke of the dangers of shooting large format in busy Sydney traffic.

 

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Robyn Hills

Robyn told the story of the making of this award winning print – from its origins from a point-n-shoot camera to darkroom high contrast printing ‘Tipp-ex” and a little bit of marker pen…  A great animated performance….

 

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Rob Crapnell

Rob discussed his interest in the darkroom and work with a 6×7 Pentax documenting how old heritage buildings in Brisbane are being cramped by the skyscraper…

 

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Peter Pescell

Peter discussed his use of an ‘ancient’ bellows camera and reloaded 120 aerial film on spools to make this image… the old and the outdated still have currency in analogue…

 

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Michael Stephenson

Michael discussed his modern printing of a series of lantern slides that represented a panorama of Brisbane made in the 1870s(?) by the photographer a Mr Wilson(?).

 

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Louis Lim

Louis spoke of a camera obscura that he made in a children’s hospital as part of an artist in residence. He described the view of Vulture Street in Brisbane on the ceiling of the room and how children visiting the space were enthralled by the images on the ceiling and walls…

 

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Jeff Ryan

Jeff discussed the taking of this photograph and its connection personal connection with he and his brother’s lives. The photo was made relatively recently at a place where Jeff and his brother played as kids 40 years earlier.

 

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Irena Prikryl

Irena’s story related to buying her first serious camera – a Hasselblad and then taking some photos in Grand Central Station in New York. The camera was balanced on a railing and the shutter speed was long…  The photo was recently printed in a Fine Art Print workshop at Maud with Doug+Vicky.

 

 

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Chris Bowes

Chris Bowes was unable to attend but had come by earlier to install his personal investigation of self and sweat by placing un-exposed B&W photopaper against his body. The prints are then process yield a ‘Chemigram’.  Chris will present a floortalk at the gallery. Check the Dark Love page for details…

 

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David Symons

David discussed that the origins of his 1980s photographic series was a response to the work and photobooks of David Hamilton. Hamilton was well known for his ‘soft-porn’ photos of young girls. Symons spoke about how he appropriated Hamilton’s photos by double printing copy negatives through a cracked mud image. Texts from Hamilton’s book were adapted by Symons using a redactive process to reveal an alternative story….

 

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Doug Spowart

I commented about how a recent re-connection with pinhole photography during the Pinhole workshop last weekend had helped to resolve a need for a new project that Vicky and I will be working on next year. I passed around an 8″x10″ film pinhole negative that had revived my interest and love of the darkroom.  PHOTO: Victoria Cooper.

 

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Edwin Wecker

Edwin discussed his experiences with film photography whilst on tour to India with his friend Russell Shakespeare.

 

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Gail Hoger-Neuman

Gail showed some photographs from her early 1990s exhibition ‘Hollywood Stills’ that was shown at Imagery Gallery.

 

Sandy Barrie demonstrates ancient portable daylight enlargers – the oldest was made before 1859.

Sandy Barrie demonstrates ancient portable daylight enlargers – the oldest was made before 1859.

 

Conversations continued after the presentations

Conversations continued after the presentations

The DARK LOVE works were enjoyed and discussed

The DARK LOVE works were enjoyed and discussed

 

CHRIS BOWES FLOORTALK  – 26 November – details to be confirmed

A FINE ART PRINTING WORKSHOP WILL TAKE PLACE ON – Postponed to 2017

A CYANOTYPE WORKSHOP – Details HERE

AND THE FRONT GALLERY WILL BE CONVERTED INTO A CAMERA OBSCURA on November 26 (to be confirmed)

 

 

 

Festival of the Darkroom logo

Festival of the Darkroom logo

 

All portrait photographs and gallery documentations unless credited otherwise ©2016 Doug Spowart

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NEW PHOTODOC SHOW Curated by Doug @ Maud Gallery

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In-situ - Frontispiece

In-situ – Frontispiece

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IN SITU: New Photodocumentary Work

 

At the end of 2015 I was the external assessor for the Queensland College of Art Bachelor of Photography Documentary stream. The work that I encountered from their recently completed documentary photography projects was inspiring. The projects that they had engaged in employed an ‘embedded’ methodology. Each photographer created stories expressing concepts and ideas that I felt deserved a wider audience. As some of the projects crossed-over into the slippery areas of art and concept documentation I felt that presenting the work in this context would encourage comment and discourse.

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Doug in an assessment @ the Queensland College of Art PHOTO: Earle Bridger

Doug in an assessment @ the Queensland College of Art PHOTO: Earle Bridger

 

I sought support from Irena Prikryl, Director of Brisbane’s Maud Gallery, with my intention being to curate a show of selected works. Over a week I forwarded to Irena websites and links to the student’s works – each submission was met with a response – ‘these photos are awesome!’ Irena then offered an exhibition early in 2016. In discussions with students I found that one of them was interested in curating and gallery management – so an honorary internship was offered to Gillian Jones.

 

The rationale for exhibition is as follows:

Every photograph is a document. A photographic document may be about a friend’s smile, a family event, a dramatic storm cloud or a dent in a car door. But, what about those documentary images that tell us about the greater aspects of life in our times? These other photographs can encompass the tragedies of human suffering, of rituals and habits, of things that escape our casual view of the world and documents of hidden acts, a performances or a ‘happening’.

The documentary photographs in this exhibition are made by photographers not working as the casual iPhone snapshot ‘photographer’ of today, but rather individuals who embed themselves in human and natural environments to witness, to empathise and to document with a camera so a story can be shared.

The documentary photographers in this exhibition present their work as evidence of what they have seen, felt and been touched by. This work represents new photodocumentary practice and will place viewers in situ – surrounded by issues of contemporary life…

 

The exhibitors who accepted the invitation were:  

Follow the links to the Maud Gallery website to see the projects (NOTE: Some links may now be inactive)

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Chris Bowes  for the work ‘Sweat

Richard Fraser  for the work ‘Pup play and beyond – exploring Brisbane’s BDSM subculture’

Gillian Jones for her work ‘Choice, Chance or Circumstance

Louis Lim  for his work ‘Waiting for Sunshine

David Mines for the work ‘Beautiful one day perfect the next?

Thomas Oliver for his work ‘Disconnection

Marc Pricop for the work ‘Our Place in The Valley

Elise Searson for her work ‘Karen’ Lyme disease sufferer

Cale Searston for his work ‘BLU

 

The show was opened by arts writer Louise Martin-Chew on March 9 who was to comment at the beginning of her address that:

I am not an expert on photo documentary: my interest is in art and artist stories. I’m interested in the way in which we may tell and share these stories most effectively, and it is the many narratives, often those that are hidden unless you are part of that experience, or sub culture, that is at the heart of this exhibition of new photography.

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Louise Martin-Chew opens 'In Situ' PHOTOS: Irena Prikryl

Louise Martin-Chew opens ‘In Situ’ PHOTOS: Irena Prikryl

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Well over 120 people attended the exhibition opening. A cash bar operated with the profits going to the Lyme Disease Association of Australia charity – associated with Elise Searson’s project’

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Opening attendees

Opening attendees

Opening attendees

Opening attendees

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Some views of the exhibition:

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David Mines' 'Beautiful one day perfect the next?'

David Mines’ ‘Beautiful one day perfect the next?’

Elise Searson's 'Karen' Lyme disease

Elise Searson’s ‘Karen’ Lyme disease

Richard Fraser's 'Pup play and beyond'

Richard Fraser’s ‘Pup play and beyond’

Thomas Olivers' 'Disconnection'

Thomas Olivers’ ‘Disconnection’

Louis' 'Waiting for Sunshine'

Louis’ ‘Waiting for Sunshine’

Chris Bowes' 'Sweat'

Chris Bowes’ ‘Sweat’

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Over the course of the exhibition each of the photographers presented a floortalk at the gallery. One contributor was Thomas Oliver, who is currently studying overseas in Toronto, Canada presented a Skype session in the gallery before his work.

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Gillian Jones presenting her floortalk

Gillian Jones presenting her floortalk

Thomas Oliver giving his floortalk by Skype

Thomas Oliver giving his floortalk by Skype

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The exhibition concluded on the 20th March with a dinner for the exhibitors and gallery members within the white walled empty space of the gallery.

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The artists' dinner @ Maud Gallery

The artists’ dinner @ Maud Gallery

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In my comments at the opening of the exhibition I stated that a documentary photograph does not exist until it is publically distributed. The exhibition, In Situ: New Photodocumentary Work, put this work and the stories it contains before an audience. Everyone seeing it may interpret this work differently; such is the nature of the photodocument. Perhaps the true value of photodocumentary work can be summed up in Louise martin-Chew’s closing statement:

The power of this collection of works by a very talented group is simply summed up I think: Art may not be able to save the world, but it has an unparalleled ability to help us understand the individuals that comprise a community, a country, a continent = the world. And that may be sufficient.

Thank you to Irena Prikryl and Maud Gallery, Gillian Jones, the contributing photographers and Louise Martin-Chew for a memorable and powerful photodocumentary exhibition of new works.

 

Dr Doug Spowart

 

 

Louise Martin-Chew’s opening address can be seen on her website: HERE

 

New-PhotoDoc Catalogue

New-PhotoDoc Catalogue

A catalogue of selected works from the show can be downloaded: NEW-DOC-CATALOGUE

Each of the photographer’s works can be seen on the Maud Gallery website under the participant’s names in the OUR ARTISTS menu – they can be purchased from the site as well.

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Unless attributed otherwise all texts and photographs are ©2016 Doug Spowart
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