Please forgive an advert: I believe it has something to say to Rupert's post
about technology and the past.
I've had the enormous pleasure to organise at the Victoria & Albert Museum a
display of poetry publications and objects, selected and curated by Simon
Cutts of Coracle Press (and before that, of Tarasque, with Stuart Mills).
Entitled 'Certain Trees: the Constructed Book, Poem and Object, 1964-2008',
it includes work of far too many people / presses, mostly (not all) British
(and male), but in some wonderful way it all comes together: David
Bellingham (WAX 366), John Bevis, Thomas A. and Laurie Clark (Moschatel),
Les Coleman, Simon Cutts (Coracle), Stephen Duncalf, Martin Fidler, Ian
Hamilton Finlay (Wild Hawthorn) -- obviously the godfather figure in the
show, Brian Lane, Robert Lax (Journeyman), Stuart Mills (Tarasque, Aggie
Weston's), Martin Rogers, Colin Sackett (imo the most original text-&-book
artist working in England today), Erica Van Horn, Steve Wheatley (White
Lies). There's a bit more information here:
http://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/index.html
It makes you think about format and idea, handwork, modesty of means,
collaboration, reading and looking, ways to receive text, poetics of the
image, creative influence of social formations ... Honestly, you all should
see it, and feel free to get in touch if you come by (use my other address,
[log in to unmask]) (but NB I'm on leave this coming week).
If interested in artists' books more widely, wait till 15th April when
'Blood on Paper' opens -- a big exhibition of much more international,
high-end productions in the expensive livre d'artiste tradition.
best wishes
Elizabeth
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