The Cover of a Book is the Beginning of a Journey: Art Gallery Walsall Exhibition
Events and Exhibitions you might like at The New Art Gallery Walsall
The Cover of a Book is the Beginning of a Journey
9 October 2010 – 11 January 2011
The Cover of a Book is the Beginning of a Journey is an interactive exhibition of artists’ books which derive from or present a set of instructions. Each book blurs the boundaries between authors and readers, or artists and viewers, inviting the usually more passive reader to take a more active part in the creation of the work.
Although artists have been involved in printing and book production for centuries, in the 1960s many started producing book works as a way of disseminating their ideas outside of the limitations of the gallery. This more affordable medium meant the artists could reach a much wider audience. The works that came out of this period had a tendency to generate action and performance, acting as a starting point rather than a finished and complete work.
Visitors to the exhibition are able to interact in a number of ways. The Paper Sculpture Book, for example, invites visitors to construct three-dimensional objects from two-dimensional designs by artists such as Adam Dant, Glenn Ligon, Sarah Sze and Chris Ware.
The exhibition can also be used as a research archive. There are more than seventy book works on display by artists such as Jonathan Monk, Yoko Ono, Ed Ruscha, and Lawrence Weiner. Visitors are able to handle and study the books; a gallery assistant will be on hand to help. A full bibliography of works in the exhibition will be available on request.
Artists in residence a.a.s. will be responding to the exhibition by constructing new performance scores from the exhibition material which they will perform with the help of visitors. Drop into the artist studio or contact aas@aasgroup.net if you would like to get involved.
The Cover of a Book is the Beginning of a Journey is an Arnolfini project in collaboration with the Centre for Fine Print Research at University of West England.
In conversation
2pm
Saturday 27 November
Join Julian Warren, archivist at Arnolfini and Paul Clarke, member of the Performance Re-enactment Society for a free talk about the exhibition. This event coincides with The New Art Gallery Walsall’s second Artists’ Publishing Fair.
The New Art Gallery Walsall is run and maintained by Walsall Council and also receives significant financial support from Arts Council England. The gallery is currently open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 11am to 4pm. Admission is free. Christmas opening/closing 2010: The gallery will be closed 24 – 31 December 2010 and 1, 2 and 3 January 2011. The gallery reopens on Tuesday 4 January 2011. For more information visit thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk
