Community at Work by Stephanie. Philadelphia, 2011. In an era when most schools and kids have glaring book needs it is an utter tragedy to witness these images. All taken within the last five years and all depicting complete neglect. The breakdown of communication somewhere along the line that allows these books to go to an early death without being utilized somewhere is unconscionable. Granted some of the books might be outdated but they still could be of some use to the book artists. All images gleaned from the 5,550+ photos in the Abandoned Schools group on Flickr. Urban School by Nitram242. Detroit, 2013 for some this...
Mel Bochner: ‘Strong Language’
Language is not transparent (1970), Mel Bochner. Recreated for the exhibition at the Jewish Museum, New York. If you are anywhere near the Jewish Museum in New York you have a few days left to catch the Mel Bochner exhibit 'Strong Language', a gathering of 70 works where language takes center stage. Bochner, a founding figure of the Conceptual Art movement of the 1960s, now focuses his energies on "the possibilities of language as image, medium, and content." The use of words as sources for painting stems from Bochner’s interest in philosophy on the one hand and humor and popular culture on the...
The Novel That Writes Itself is finished
Allen Ruppersberg began The Novel That Writes Itself in 1978. The plan was to create a "fictionalized autobiography where he would talk of his adventures as a young artist." The main characters were slated to be the artist’s friends including Ed Ruscha, his gallery owner, Rosamund Felsen, and the collectors Elyse and Stanley Grinstein. Amazingly, Ruppersberg exhibited a Kickstarter mentality 35+ years before crowdsourcing became the rage by offering the Grinstein's places in the story for 300 dollars. He also offered the opportunity to become a supporting character for 100 dollars or to be an extra in the book for 50 dollars. A decade later,...
Encyclopedias in the hands of Mary Ann Santin
'1962', 2012 "I am interested in our archival desire to create a memory of those now gone in order to promote a collective identity" says artist Mary Ann Santin. And what better to work with to realize that interest than a printed encyclopedia; an obsolete form packed with information of "those now gone"and published with the intent to "promote a collective identity." Whether she is sanding, miniaturizing or covering it in wax the encyclopedia presents the perfect medium for Santin. Enjoy! '1971', 2012 Untitled 6, undated Untitled 3, undated Oval One, 2012. Found encyclopedia covered in paraffin wax Spring Three, 2012 Artist's website
Jordan Buschur: Book Painter
Place Holders, 2013 There is no doubting Jordan Buscher has the book love in her veins. Give her some oil paint and canvas and she is off to the books. About her work she says: The paintings in this body of work use collections and arrangements of books to implant ordinary objects with psychological meanings. The groupings of books, stacked or on shelves, act as a stand in for one person’s accumulated knowledge and memories. Some stacks of books remain blank: full of potential or conversely, impenetrable. Other groups of books include painted words and images to act as clues...