New York Book Fair

I'm hoping of the approximate 19,490,297 New Yorkers that at least a handful of them make it to the New York Book Fair at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center in Long Island City, Queens on October 2-4. This event is being presented by Printed Matter, Inc., the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of publications made by artists. With over 150 international presses, DIY bookmakers, artists, dealers, and more, this is going to be a massive creative gathering force assembling for 3 days only. Events include a special exhibition of emphemra, books, and posters by Richard Price and the Contemporary Artists' Books Conference, along with a fundraiser hosted by Deitch Studios on October 1st. All of this, and more!, can be experienced by anyone with a love for books and transportation to Queens. If anyone were to pick up some kitschy limited edition print and send it to lil' ol' me, I wouldn't be disappointed!

Olaf Bruening

First of all, GREAT intro to the site! I love when artists share their space to the public, even if it is via internet. It is such a helpful peek into their world, which is a huge insight into their work. Regardless, this was brought to my attention via VAFROMVA's tweets, and I am instantly in love. Kitschy, slightly NSFW drawings, and a multitude of twisted links showing random things like the location of her studio via Google maps, a refreshing page with "Click Me" appearing endlessly, and "Scroll Downs" which reveal nothing but a picture of a man holding a bottle of Orangina. However, there are some serious links as well, such as her blog, shop (just kidding!), photos, installations, drawings, and more. Just the site itself is a delight, so once you actually maneuver to her portfolio the happiness only grows. Line drawings exploring the seemingly innocent figure in perhaps innocuous situations, sometimes dangerous, silly, risque, and more. Great quick work by an artist that I can describe as "fun." There might not be a lot of serious "work" behind it, but who needs it to bring a smile to your face?

Jason Polan

Printed Matter held the opening for Jason Polan's new zine, Eleven of My Things and One of Yours on Saturday, and it sounds like a fantastic time was had by all. It's a totally innovative and interactive concept in which Jason draws eleven of his possessions, and at the signing on the last page he drew whatever object the guest brought. Once this individualized, personal drawing was complete, the zine became One of my Favorite Things and Eleven of His. That sounds awesome! I wish I could have been there- I'm not sure what I would have brought but I bet he had some gems. I'd love to see a sampling of the drawings, so if anyone out there in internetland has a contact, let me know!

Another interesting fact- the REAL reason Jason Polan caught my attention- is his current project in which he is attempting to draw every person in New York. That's a mighty big venture, and I wish him luck!

Thomas Doyle

I feel like I might have seen and/or posted about Thomas Doyle's miniature worlds, but who cares. It's amazing enough for even TWO mentions. His site is home to his Distillation Series, Bearings Series, and Reclamation Series, all focusing on presenting a minute view with universal ideas. I've included only one picture from each of the series, because I want to tantalize you enough to go directly to the site without going batsh** insane and posting his entire portfolio.

Bearings:


Reclamation:


Distillation:

The Grid Book

Hannah B. Higgins has mapped the history of the most prominent grid systems in Western culture in her book "The Grid Book", which had an opening a few weeks ago at Printed Matter in NYC. She examines the brick, the tablet, the gridiron city plan, the map, musical notation, the ledger, the screen, moveable type, the manufactured box, and the net as the underlying structures for the world around us perhaps even more than any of us realize. These 10 "grids" have moved and shaped the world around us, and even as the landscape changes these basic structures remain the same. They are used in art as well as urban planning, technology as well as simple games.

She is the an associate professor in the art history department at the University of Illinois at Chicago, which I think would present a really interesting point of view for such a potentially mathematical subject. I've always been fascinated with the idea of structure in a seemingly structureless object, like parallel lines in nature. Thinking about the invisible harmony of the world is truly a spectacular mind exercise.

Pritned Matter NYC

Nieves
An Exhibition
April 4 – May 23, 2009

Opening Reception
Saturday, April 4, 2009, 5:00 – 7:00 PM

Printed Matter is pleased to announce an exhibition with the legendary Swiss publisher Nieves. The exhibition will feature a full retrospective of Nieve's zine program since 2004 as well as a selection of the books published by the press since its founding in 2001. The opening reception will also serve as a book launch for new titles by Henry Roy, Katerina Christidi, Harmony Korine as well as the compilation Zine Box 2008. The exhibition will open on April 4, 2009 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Printed Matter, which is located at 195 Tenth Avenue (between 21st and 22nd Street) in New York City.

Nieves was founded in 2001 by Benjamin Sommerhalder, following the demise of his short-lived magazine Zoo. From the start, Nieves has published critically acclaimed, yet diverse, publications from a who's who of visual delinquents: Rita Ackermann, Linus Bill, Robin Cameron, Larry Clark, Marcel Dzama, Chris Johanson, Kim Godon, Spike Jonze, Harmony Korine, Ari Marcopoulos, Mike Mills, Rick Myers, Aaron Rose, Ed Templeton, and Andrew Jeffrey Wright to name but a few. The publications have taken on a variety of forms, from limited edition, photocopied zines, to more-formally recognized hardcover, perfect-bound and offset books. In the last eight years, Nieves has become one of the most talked about names in European publishing and Sommerhalder recently won the Jan Tschichold award, a prestigious award given annually on the occasion of “The Most Beautiful Swiss Books” competition.

Although I have collected artists' books for several decades, this is the first time that I have trusted a publisher's tastes and program to intersect so completely with my own. Perhaps this is because Benjamin Sommerhalder, who is Nieves itself, is not so much a publisher as someone taking pleasure in artists' zines and in the act of publishing.

AA Bronson
“Nieves”, The Most Beautiful Swiss Books, 2009



The exhibition will feature over 100 zines published by Nieves since 2004, making them available for reading and perusing. Also on view will be a broad selection of books published by the press since 2001. Nieves authors Rick Myers and Tim Barber will be on hand to sign their publications at the opening reception, which will also serve as the launch for four publications:

Henry Roy's new zine August is about cinematic and dreamy vision of Ibiza, where he spent his last summer holidays (and has been visiting many times since the late eighties). August is saddle stitched, black and white, and 20 pages. It retails for $8 and can be purchased at Printed Matter's storefront in New York City or online at www.printedmatter.org.

Katerina Christidi's C'est pas angoissant is a combination of charcoal drawings drawn from her large scale works and her series One Year Drawings. The figurative work creates tension as the artist describes “between the anxiety of existential discomfort and it's comical response evoked by human figures.” C'est pas angoissant is saddle stitched, black and white, and 20 pages. It retails for $8 and can be purchased at Printed Matter's storefront in New York City or online at www.printedmatter.org.

Harmony Korine's Devils and Babies is as the title suggests, drawings of devils and babies in the artist's characteristic brut style. Devils and Babies is saddle stitched, black and white, and 20 pages. It retails for $8 and can be purchased at Printed Matter's storefront in New York City or online at www.printedmatter.org.

The Nieves Zine Box 2008 is produced in an extremely limited edition of 20 and contains a complete set of the zines that produced in 2008. The authors include Keegan McHargue, Beau LaBute, Mari Eastman, Geoff McFetridge, Frédéric Fleury, Reala / Körner Union, Eddie Martinez, Susan Gianciolo, Anthony Record, Tal R, Jonas Delaborde, Beni Bischof, Himaa, Rick Myers and Stefan Marx. The Nieves Zine Box 2008 retails for $250 and can be purchased at Printed Matter's storefront in New York City or online at www.printedmatter.org.

For more information, please contact AA Bronson at aabronson @ printedmatter.org.

Printed Matter, Inc. is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1976 by artists and art workers with the mission to foster the appreciation, dissemination, and understanding of artists' books and other artists' publications.

Printed Matter, Inc. has received support, in part, through grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Altria Group Inc, the Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation, The Cowles Charitable Trust, the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, The Gesso Foundation, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, the Schoenstadt Family Foundation, The Roy and Niuta Titus Foundation, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and individuals worldwide.

Japanese Young Artists' Book Fair

Last year I was lucky enough to be at Printed Matter in NYC for the 2nd annual Japanese Young Artists' Book Fair, and let me just tell you there are some SHARP book artists coming out of there right now. I picked up a few gems, and I'm sure this year is going to be just as spectacular. I actually caught it at 2 locations, the second being Spoonbill and Sugartown in Brooklyn, and this year it'll be in a variety of locations across the city as well (Kinokuniya Bookstore and St. Marks Book Shop along with the two aforementioned). Over 100 artists are participating, and it's going on from February 15 – March 8, 2009.

If you plan on being in the NYC area during the show, be sure to stop by one of the four locations. Book art is underappreciated and overwhelmingly beautiful to anyone who hasn't really experienced anything like it. I took a class about Book Arts at VCU last year, and it really opened my eyes to the entire world of tangible art that can be held and appreciated physically. There's definitely something to be said about the ability to hold something created in your hands. It's a great feeling.

Anonymous Gallery

I generally skip over even the emails that I've signed up for, but today I actually read my Fecal Face email for the first time in a while. I guess this isn't really a super update, but I was clicking around with that email as a starting point and came across the Anonymous Gallery in New York City. I definitely miss the gallery scene, and would love to take another week like I did last year to go around and observe artists at work and gallery shows. Basically this is just me feeling sentimental about art, and wishing I had some coffee before the electrician gets here. Oh yes, and Happy Halloween!

updatez

today is my second to last critique of college. once i get through my painting crit on thursday, i am HOME FREE. this rules.
in the design world, New York Design Week is in 2 weeks, and Core77 has put together a schedule that is blowing my mind. I wish i could make it up there for all the festivities, but maybe next time.


I AM A BAT.

word word word

Today is day 3 of gloom- where is the sun??? blah blah blah. Anyway, Core77 has an awesome photo set of the New York Toy Fair! Anyone who's met me knows I have a slight obsession with all things vinyl. This brightens up my day even if it IS dreary. Also, the word of the day seems pretty enthusiastically optimistic, so here it is.

ebullient (i-BUL-yuhnt, -BOOL-) adjective

Bubbling with enthusiasm or excitement.

[From Latin ebullire (to boil up), from bulla (bubble).]

1aeon

Etsy, of course, hosts a plethora of awesome DIY shops. There's one that I've recently become obsessed with though, and that is 1Aeon. I've already gotten 2 shirts from them (with the fastest shipping of any store I've ever dealt with!) and all of my friends are drooling with jealousy. I've decided to stock my wardrobe with more of their delicious designs, and need to share this with the world!
These two are already taken (by me!) but I assure you, there is absolutely no shortage of amazing items available RIGHT NOW.


P.S. The "featured seller" interview in Etsy is pretty interesting. (I also read the Jenna Jameson biography, and was surprised at how fascinating it was!)