ARTIST BOOKS FOR A YEAR TEN Visual arts UNIT IDENTITY: LOOKING IN & LOOKING OUT OF OURSELVES A

1. ARTIST BOOKS FOR A YEAR TEN Visual arts UNIT IDENTITY: LOOKING IN & LOOKING OUT OF OURSELVES AROUND & ABOUT OUR LIVES EXAMPLES OF STYLES AND FORMATS AS CONSTRUCTIONS With ARTISTS’ WORKS from The State Library of Queensland Artists’ Books Online Collection J.FABER Part of TIPS item - http://education.qld.gov.au/tal/tips/02507.html Curriculum Exchange, Education Queensland

2. EXPERIMENT & EXPLORE WITH SOME BASIC BOOK FOLD & SIMPLE STITCH CREATIONSby J.FABER Which construct, format do they fit in? Hand-coloured printed Etching by author from Workshop with Ron McBurnie to produce Artist Book by various folds, cuts

3. Further examples:Which construction techniques were used?Stab binding, concertina, pamphlet stitched? Note covers…

4. The following slides displayWorks form the State Library of Queensland Collection of Artists’ Books The Public can visit the Library’s Artists’ Books collection currently at ‘James Hardie Library of Australian Fine Arts-Heritage Collection’ Section at 996 Wynnum Rd Cannon Hill by appointment

5. GUAN, WEI: Plastic surgery • A unique item. • Mixed media artist’s book: concertina-folded pages; titled, signed and dated by the artist; padded silk cover attached. • What aspect of identity may this work offer insight about? • Note the concertina & cover construction.

6. GUAN, WEI: Plastic surgery

7. CHARUKA, PETER E : No diving • Digital prints, re-processed with Photoshop; a variation of the concertina format. • ‘The intention of the book… was to reflect on my relationship to the landscape, in particular, the ocean and water…I am a keen surfer and skin diver.’

8. CHARUKA, PETER E : No diving • ‘I have an interest in children’s books, both historically and contemporary, and the way that they are engineered such as pop-up books. This was a motivation for how the book was made so that it could be presented in a number of scenarios; you could turn the pages like a conventional book or you could display it like a sculpture.’ • How might this book comment on the artist’s interests as identity? • Note the pop-up, out feature!

9. TSE, JONATHAN:Portrait of an Australian • This artist's book contains original images and is a limited edition of ten plus two a.p.s, hand screenprinted and signed by the artist' • What document is this artist appropriating? What might he be suggesting by his choice of images and information used? • What other documents can make up your identity? • Research altered books • Note the use of text & Image integrated.

10. TSE, JONATHAN:Portrait of an Australian ‘The artist’s family migrated to Australia from Hong Kong in 1975. For the child migrant the process of settling into a new country is sometimes more demanding than it is for an adult. The decision to migrate is usually one in which the child has little to say, even though the parents may see their children as the main beneficiaries of migration. In the form of an Australian passport Portrait of an Australian presents the migrant experience mainly through words and pictures, and challenges the notion of what it is to be Australian.’

11. TSE, JONATHAN:Portrait of an Australian ‘The images, text and other resources were compiled over a period of 12 months. All images used in the book were from the artist’s family album. The paper is Edward Dunlop paper. The Australian Coat of Arms was redesigned and fabricated for the cover and block foiled in gold.’

12. OUDYN, JACK:The very first book of fish • Mock-up for book published by Micro Press in edition of 50 copies.Ink, paint, collage on pages from telephone directory. • Note this could be folded up or cut to make a ‘flutter’ book. • What ideas could you substitute to make a panelled look at your self?... • Or rework which typical image in a number of different ways?

13. HOGAN, JAN: Little Red Riding Hood (art original) • Lithographs on paper mounted on sixteen wooden blocks, held in wooden box with two-part hinged lid; each block has one letter and three printed illustrations. • Could Identity be a story set out on blocks instead of pages? • What words, letters could tie into the tale of ‘self’?

14. McBURNIE, RON: Little hole The five etchings for this book were made by Ron McBurnie and printed by Rochelle Knarston on Arches paper. The book was designed and bound in full <emu> leather by Friedhelm Pohlmann in 1996 in an edition of 20. ‘The idea for the book relates to its structure. Fred Pohlmann gave me a mock up first. I thought that I should design the etchings around the little hole in its centre. The environmental theme just evolved from at first observing the hole, to touching it, and then to getting very serious and blasting the hell out of it. It’s also a book about observation. I have noticed that many people who look through the book fail to notice the tiny piece of gold leaf hidden in the hole of the last page. When we go somewhere we often miss seeing what’s really in front of us staring us in the face…’ Ron McBurnie

15. McBURNIE, RON: Little hole • There are a number of pages folded up to ¼ size. • What might you feel as you unfolded each? • Note the folds and layout of the images to a centre point. What ideas of yours might unfold and reveal around a central focus?

16. KINGSTON, PETERA - Z • ‘Alternative title (not on item): Alphabet book of phobias.Illustrations are original etchings, hand-colouredThis is an ABCedary of phobias, irreverent, funny and beautifully executed. • The artist suffered from agoraphobia for a time which formed the inspiration for this book.” • What ‘zany’ ideas might you use to create an ABCedary of Identity or Self? • Note the idea of handcolouring… you might photocopy or print multiple copies and make each distinct.

17. MALONE, HELEN:Roman alphabet • Handmade book designed, written and embossed by Helen Malone.This book arose from an interest in the history and roots of our letters, language and culture in Ancient Rome. • “The familiar monumental classical letters of the Roman alphabet were often carved into stone. Stone carvers strive to give the illusion that the letters are raised above the surface rather than lying below it. This inspired the idea of using the letters in combination of cutting and hand embossing to create visual interest, a play of light and shadow, to accentuate the form. Watercolour paper was painted with diluted Sumi ink to suggest a subtle marble effect. Each letter of the alphabet was linked to a Latin word which as a derivative to current English.

18. MALONE, HELEN:Roman alphabet • The concertina book format was chosen to allow display of the whole work at the one time (like stone carvings).” • Consider the ‘cutout’ quality here in the concertina folded book. What could you emphasize using this idea? • Note the container for this book in the background.

19. WOOD, BERYL: Art class • Calico stretched over board; alternate pieces have printed narrative in verse, others are laser printed to illustrate the story; in wooden box which has painting in acrylic on top . • ‘The book was made after I painted a scene representing an ‘art class’ showing how different people see objects and situations from different perspectives. As the last line of the script says ‘Viva la difference’.’

20. WOOD, BERYL: Art class • Note your book doesn’t have to made of paper! Or ‘pages’ joined! • Would you then necessarily start at one end or choose to view the work from any point? So would you consider this when organizing your focus for this approach? All separate & individual insights, viewpoints? Or a continuous tale if in the right order?

21. MONEY, CATHERINEMehndi=Nature   ‘My hands are very old; they hold a story. It is a story of nature and struggle. Like an ancient relic, they are stored in a box. Mehndi=Nature Delicate Intricate Precious Vulnerable. Fading from existence. Lost Forever. It is in our hands.’ The inscription on my book reads: “My name is Catharine Money and theseare my hands. Nature is in everyone’s hands. We are the caretakers. Like the ancient art of mehndi henna on the hands of the bride, toil will replace the fading beauty. Nature is in our hands. Give nature a hand…

22. MONEY, CATHERINEMehndi=Nature Mehndi. The starting point for my book was a newspaper photograph of a woman’s hands that had been henna tattooed. She was to be married. It was here that I learnt that her culture forbade her from any form of manual labour while she still had the henna tattoos on the palms of her hands. Henna tattoos are a temporary work of art. I loved this concept of no housework and dreamt of having the palms of my hands permanently tattooed…My book, when opened fully, is like the hands of the bride, on show. They also represent how one holds ones hands when something fragile is placed in them. This is also the gesture for sharing something.

23. MONEY, CATHERINEMehndi=Nature • I traced my hands to make this book… • I placed my book in an outer case of distressed, embossed aluminium to give it the feel of something ancient. Placing it in a clear Perspex box, that resembles glass, and by elevating it up off the base, gave Mehndi=Nature a relic like and precious feel.” • Note your book doesn’t have to be a geometric shape. (What about a paper doll cut out concertina?) • The artist has used her own hand trace…could you incorporate yourself some how as a template ..a shoe, foot ,/ an ear print? • How will you present your work… cover, container?

24. NOTE : THE CONTAINER IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THESE ARTISTS’ BOOKS’ PRESENTATION…BY JUDY BARRASS, HELEN SANDERSON, BERYL WOOD, CLAIRE VAN VIET, HELEN MALONE, CATHERINE MONEY

25. THE ARTIST STATEMENT • The quotes beside the illustrations of the Artists’ Books are from ‘The Artist’s Statement.’ This information is supplied by the person creating the work – often giving details of production, process & materials but predominately giving the reader the leading direction, source of their ideas or motivation. It often includes insight into a personal interest of their own developed here. • Create your own artist statement to accompany your work to explain what ideas you focused on , why, and where your sources came from as well as what you trialled – played around with… a critique in conclusion.

26. TO CONCLUDE: QUESTIONS TO PONDER • Where do these artists get their ideas from? Is it a response, an interpretation of theme/event? Is it always personal? • Would you agree they generally focus in on a specific idea/issue? • Do they use many different techniques to create their images and then gather them together, or do they refine their choices? What determines their selection? • Which works had the most visual impact? Was this because they used the art design elements and principles - line, colour, shape, tone, texture, rhythm, repetition, balance, contrast, variety, harmony etc. - in specific ways?

27. TO CONCLUDE:QUESTIONS TO PONDER • Did they all have a sculptural quality? How many do you need/want to ‘turn’ the ‘page’ to ‘read’? • These works are Australian. Would there be much difference in artists’ books from overseas artists? Check the websites. University of Delaware Library www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/exhibits/artistsbookReview this site to see a collection of artist books exhibitions across many years titled ‘Personal visions’. The Smithsonian Institution Libraries’ site also has online exhibitions to search… www.sil.si.edu/SILPublications/online_Exhibitions Type in simple query ‘artists books’ and worldwide links will appear. • Which art works did you admire? Will they inspire you to develop your own artist’s book or will you find your own source of inspiration?