ArtsLibris Barcelona
2018
ArtsLibris, International Fair of Artists’ Books and Contemporary Edition, holds its 9th edition from April 21st to 23rd at Arts Santa Mònica.
The ArtsLibris Barcelona 2018 program includes the 5th International Symposium on Editions and Collecting and the Speakers’ Corner presentations, as well as the exhibitions Biblioteques insòlites, curated by Glòria Picazo, and Nova York en fotollibres, curated by Horacio Fernández; the presentation of the fourth book of the AL Series, by Wilfredo Prieto, and several workshops. Besides, as every year, the ArtsLibris–Banc Sabadell Foundation Award will be granted.
SPEAKERS' CORNER 2018
ArtsLibris 2018 provides a dynamic and flexible space for debate, discussion, and exchange between authors, publishers and the general public. It holds a continuous program over the three days of the fair, with presentations of projects, dialogues and talks by artists and publishers, chaired by Glòria Picazo.
6 pm
Manuel Olveira, director of MUSAC (León), presents The Book of Letters, by José Luis Castillejo (Seville–Houston), a facsimile edition brought out on occasion of the exhibition TLALAATALA. José Luis Castillejo y la escritura moderna, at the MUSAC.
7 pm
Manuel Segade, director of CA2M Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo (Móstoles), presents the centre’s editorial line and its most recent publications: No sabíamos lo que hacíamos. Lecturas para una educación situada; Allan Kaprow. Comfort Zones; Miguel Trillo. Doble exposición; Coreografiar exposiciones; Cuerpo político negro and Julia Spínola. Lubricán.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4ysa0feEhg&feature=youtu.be
8 pm
Artist Ana Garcia-Pineda (Barcelona) presents an extended reprint of her book Más Máquinas y Maquinaciones in conversation with Amanda Cuesta (Barcelona), freelance art critic, curator and publisher.
5 pm
Agustí Alcoberro (Pals) and Ramon Sicart (Llorenç del Penedès) talk art and politics for the presentation of their book 3 Octubre – 155 reaccions per a una República, published by Sic\Art Edicions.
6 pm
Consonni presents El arte de la mediación, by researcher and curator Oriol Fontdevila (Barcelona), who is in conversation with Javier Peñafiel (Zaragoza).
7 pm
Re-imaginando y re-activando el libro: Natasha Christia (Barcelona), freelance curator, in conversation with David Solo (American photography and photo book collector) and Annakarin Quinto (French photographer and director of leboudoir.02, an experimental projects platform revolving around books and their intersection with photography, experience in real time and the human condition).
8 pm
Photographer Eugeni Gay (Barcelona) presents his new book Desde la isla cuántica (Ediciones Anómalas), in conversation with publisher Montse Puig.
12.30 pm
Presentation of the Centenari Tharrats activities in celebration of the centennial of Joan Josep Tharrats’ birth, organized by the Fundación Tharrats d’Art Gràfic and Ajuntament de Pineda de Mar, with Xavier Amor (mayor of Pineda de Mar), M. Àngels Torras (director of SS. TT. Barcelona, Departament de Cultura of the Generalitat de Catalunya), Joan Tharrats (Joan Josep Tharrats’ son), Arnau Puig (philosopher and art critic), Lluís Ivern (curator and coordinator) and Ricard Mas (curator of the main exhibition).
1 pm
Awarding of the Art Byblio Prize of the Llotja Escola Superior de Disseny i Art.
4 pm
Alfredo Mateos Paramio, editor of Photosai, presents the art publication Semimaru, a special interpretation by Darío Álvarez (Valladolid) of the eponymous piece of Noh theatre by Zeami Motokiyo, as well as an original libretto in Japanese, translated into Spanish and showing drawings and stage designs by the artist. With the presence of Menene Gras, director of Culture and Exhibitions at Casa Asia.
4.30 pm
Renato Della Poeta and Cristina López Morcuende present the exhibition catalogue of Ernesto Neto (Rio de Janeiro) for the Blueproject Foundation, Um dia todos fomos peixes, in conversation with Laura Olea (Barcelona).
5 pm
Curator Horacio Fernández (Madrid) presents a selection of Editorial RM’s most recent titles on the photo book: Fenómeno Fotolibro, New York en fotolibro, Miserachs and Fotos & Libros. España 1905-1977.
6 pm
Presentation of the latest issue of the Concreta review (Concreta 11) by Pep Benlloch (Valencia), with José Díaz Cuyás (Valencia), guest editor of Concreta 10.
7 pm
Wilfredo Prieto (Sancti Spíritus, Cuba) presents Loophole, fourth title of the AL Series, prefaced by Glòria Picazo. Announcement of the name of the artist chosen to produce the series’ fifth title.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=659XOQAAUqQ&feature=youtu.be
8 pm
Artist Gonzalo Elvira (Argentina/Barcelona) presents his project 12 canciones concretas, published on vinyl for the CRU collection, with text by José Luis Corazón Ardura, design by Alex Gifreu and music by Grösso (Argentina/Barcelona), who accompanies him in the presentation and does a demonstration.
Activities and workshops
Over the three days that the fair lasts, there are a range of workshops for the general public that require no prior knowledge.
Bookbinding workshop
Given by students of Book Art from the Escola Llotja of Barcelona.
In this workshop participants are familiarised with French link stitching through the creation of two small books with covers made of different materials.
La biblioteca sense llei (“The lawless library”)
Activity by artist Antònia del Río
Activity aimed at families in which books provide the material with which to explore the concept of the library through different actions. We look beyond their actual contents and discover the possibilities books afford as objects for building and play. Activity recommended for children aged 3 and up.
This activity is part of the Art en Obert de Experimetem amb l’ART project. Espai d’educació artística i creació contemporània, 2014.
Diccionario Exquisito
Workshop given by Marta Salarich Bardia
Workshop exploring the classic form of dictionary through a technique called the ‘exquisite cadaver’, with the aim of collectively transforming it to create a new thematic dictionary – a book where everyone can express their ideas on the concept put forward for the occasion: festivity. This workshop is for anyone who is sensitive to words and interested in paper and the book as a medium for expression.
Collage workshop
By Carmen Hurtado Pérez
Brief introduction to the history of collage followed by the workshop in which three collages are made using different techniques.
Clínica de libros de artista (“Clinic for artists’ books”)
With Carla Rey, artist, publisher and curator specialising in artists’ books.
The artist’s book is innovation and experimentation: the choice of paper, the typography, the presentation, design, binding, colophon, materials and format… They all combine to offer an ample array of possibilities. The workshop provides a space for exchanging ideas, presenting samples of books and discussing the best ways of translating ideas and concepts into an artist’s book. In the manner of a clinic, open debate gives participants the necessary information to design their own publications and future projects.
Demonstration of screen printing
The ephemeral image in screen printing using unconventional inks
By Oslo Graphic Barceloneta
In this workshop we look at an unconventional way of printing, which makes use of wallpaper paste, which is colourless. After printing, the image becomes visible when it is covered with various types of pigments. Once the printed area is dry, any direct alteration makes the pigment fall away from the paper and, depending on the kind of paper used, leaves one trace or another. The aim of the workshop is to reflect on the durability of the reproduced image. The public takes part and are allowed to take home the piece of paper that has been printed on as a souvenir.
Storytelling and activities
With Sabrina Kraus, author of the book Jane Goodall – An Inspiring Story
Through the true story of Dr. Jane Goodall, primatologist and messenger of peace, the writer looks at the themes of trust, self-awareness and professions. Under the motto “Dream”, participants can draw, colour in and let their creativity run free. Activity recommended for girls and boys aged 6 to 10.
Workshop Animaladas
By Moreno&Soria
Drawing inspiration from “Mundo Animal”, a book by José Antonio Soria, participants of this workshop create their own artist’s book to take home. In the form of a Leporello, or folded leaflet, they are able to print animal heads from stamps and create different scenes by converting them into new characters or personalised animals.
OPLÁ
Workshop on pop-ups given by DoubleBrain (Roberta Bridda and Jani Lunablau)
Practical introduction to the techniques used to create moving 3D books and pop-up cards.
Exhibition at l’Arts Santa Mònica Improbable Libraries
mprobable Libraries
Curated by Glòria Picazo
Artists: Ignasi Aballí / ALIAS / Clara Boj/Diego Díaz / Fernando Bryce / Iñaki Bonillas / Antònia del Rio / Enric Farres-Duran / Dora Garcia / Javier Peñafiel / Juan Pérez Agirregoikoa / Francesc Ruiz / Oriol Vilanova
Arts Santa Mònica and ArtsLibris, in collaboration with La Casa Encendida, are pleased to present the exhibition Improbable Libraries, curated by Gloria Picazo. The basic premise of this show is the role of the library as a place that has been and remains a repository of the knowledge gathered and stored by human beings through the centuries.
We see the library as the story of a chimera, an illusion, a pipe dream, for if we view it as a container capable of holding the whole memory of the world, it will always end up being an “unattainable utopia”. Yet there are many possible variations on that idea of the total library, and we can find them in libraries which, according to the rules and conventions long held sacred by library science professionals, would be considered personal, diverse, subjective, anarchical and uncommon.
Improbable Libraries is a single project that combines the idea of the “infinite library”—insatiable, ever-changing and always open to knowledge of every kind—with the contributions of contemporary artists who, from the late 1960s to the present day, have revised the notion of libraries, archives and books as inexhaustible sources of knowledge. The artists included in this project were chosen based on their profound interest in books and artist’s editions, a creative format which, despite its apparent marginality, figures prominently in their aesthetic discourses.
If we consider the library as the space where all knowledge is concentrated, as the quintessential hub of culture and democracy since public libraries first began to appear in the mid-19th century, then we must inevitably explore this theme from a variety of different angles: the importance of the library as a physical, architectural space, the singularity of its bibliographic collections, but also the possibility of seeing it as a mental space, as envisioned by Jorge Luis Borges, a space where knowledge overflows and we are overwhelmed by doubts when confronted by the idea of that “infinite library”, as old as time itself. Legendary libraries like that of Alexandria, private, subjective libraries like Michel de Montaigne’s, utopian libraries like the 18th-century architectural projects of Étienne-Louis Boullée, and even the acceptance and questioning of the “cloud”, that massive archive which gathers the mind-boggling amount of data generated by today’s society, comprise the thought-provoking landscape that underpins this exhibition.
The selected artists present their complete corpus of artist’s editions in this show, and each has been assigned a different exhibition space depending on how they want spectators to read and observe their editions. The project features a selection of “personal libraries” containing artist’s editions, classic books, drawings and personal belongings—something similar to what we might find in our own libraries.
In middle of the exhibition itinerary, visitors find our own particular “restricted reading room”, the place where rare, valuable or forbidden books were once kept, visited only by bibliophiles. The “reading room” of Improbable Libraries contains publications by artists whose inventions gave new meaning to the concept of special editions in the 1960s and 70s, a genuine “bibliophile treasure trove”.
Besides the exhibition at Arts Santa Mònica, Improbable Libraries has two outside interventions:
– At the Ateneu Barcelonès (C/ de la Canuda, 6) by Enric Farrés.
– At ELISAVA Escola Universitària de Disseny (Rambles, 30-32) by Francesc Ruiz.
http://artssantamonica.gencat.cat/en/detall/Biblioteques-insolites-00004
AL Series
The AL Series, a publishing project by ArtsLibris, works in collaboration with the Fudanció Banc Sabadell and honours its annual commitment of releasing a limited edition of an artist’s book. This year’s publication is by Wilfredo Prieto (Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, 1978), entitled Loophole.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=659XOQAAUqQ&feature=youtu.be
ArtsLibris Limited Edition 2018
Wilfredo Prieto and Ignasi Aballí
ArtsLibris has two projects of limited editions: the AL Series, a collection of artists’ books produced with the support of Fundació Banc Sabadell, and the limited edition of tote bags and gloves, sponsored this year by Blueproject Foundation and designed by Ignasi Aballí.
V International Symposium ArtsLibris
The V International Symposium on Artists’ Books addresses the subject of collecting. Glòria Picazo chairs a discussion with guest speakers João Fernandes, Deputy Director of Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía; Anne Thurmann-Jajes (Centre for Artists’ Publications – Weserburg-Museum für moderne Kunst), Mela Dávila (freelance curator) and Sergio Rubira (Assistant Director of Collection and Exhibitions at the IVAM).
This new edition of the international symposium ArtsLibris puts forward a discussion on the collection of artists’ books, understood in the broadest sense. It is clear that in the last two decades artists’ publications have gained considerable ground. No longer the marginal or complementary materials of a purely documentary nature they used to be, internal museum departments, like ‘Collection’ and ‘Library and Documentation Centre’, now squabble over who gets to custody them. And this is due, without doubt, to their well-deserved recognition following the redefinition of artistic discourses over recent decades. Further proof of this is that they are now a common feature in exhibitions, and increasingly even the main feature, and thereby contributing to a new outline of artistic, social and / or political contexts.
The Universe (which others call the Library).
Private documentary collections in Europe
Mela Dávila
Freelance curator
Just as museums and institutional libraries have increasingly recognised the value of the document in recent years, both in the context of their own patrimony and in relation to art collections, so too have some (a few) private collections made the document – the book or any other documentary format – the centre and the origin of their raison d’être. Mela Dávila looks at two of Europe’s most prominent examples: the Lafuente Archive, in Santander, and the Vanguardia Archive, built up by the Berlin-based Italian collector Egidio Marzona.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y8hknhod_E&feature=youtu.be
12.00 pm*
The Act of Collecting.
Artists’ Books in the Centre for Artists’ Publications
Dr. Anne Thurmann-Jajes
Director of the Centre for Artists’ Publications at the Weserburg Museum
Dr. Anne Thurmann-Jajes’s presentation gives an overview of the mission and work of the Centre for Artists’ Publications with regards to artists’ books. The observations revolve around the conceptual artist’s book and its characteristics, beginning with a few words about the Centre for Artists’ Publications—its history and its present activities. The archival and collection inventories characterise the Centre for Artists’ Publications and provide the foundation for its work. They represent the material basis for the presentation of the collections and for exhibitions, as well as for both current and future research projects. As such, they serve as a point of reference for the research conducted by the Centre and for external research. The inventories are distinguished by their unique research infrastructure available to scholars throughout the world. Collecting, safeguarding and maintaining are the primary tasks associated with collection supervision, serving to protect and sustain the archival and collection inventories and also to augment them in coherence with related research. One of the most recent exhibition and research project is Artists’ Books for Everything.
1.30 pm
Artists’ books and their circumstances
João Fernandes
Deputy Director of Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
After Mallarmé, artists redefined the concept of the book and its possibilities. Artists’ books have been one of the freest mediums of expression in terms of the creation and circulation of an artwork. From self-publication and artist-led distribution circuits to the current situation where artists’ books depend more and more on the dictates of markets and institutions, we reflect on the state of affairs of artists’ publications today.
4.30 pm
Rooms of a library-museum, display-bookcase
Sergio Rubira
Assistant Director of Collection and Exhibitions at the IVAM
What happens to books when they enter a museum? When do they turn into something more than just books? What happens if they end up locked in a display cabinet? Are they artworks or certifying documents? Do they complement or complete discourse? Drawing from his experience at the IVAM, Sergio Rubira discusses how books shape the formation of a collection.
Participating Exhibitors ArtsLibris BARCELONA 2018
3 en blanc (Barcelona) | 13L, edicions (Barcelona) | Alias (Mexico) | Antonio Freiles_Spazio libro d’Artista (Messina) | Apart Edicions (Barcelona) | Art Deal project (Barcelona) | Arte-blogarte (Buenos Aires) | Artika (Barcelona) | Avarie (Paris) | Bernard Gabriel Lafabrie / Imprimerie d´Alsace-Lozère (Paris) | Bizco Books (Valencia) | Blueproject Foundation (Barcelona) | Bom Dia Boa Tarde Boa Noite (Berlin) | CA2M Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo (Móstoles) | Ca l’Isidret Edicions (Barcelona) | Cànem Galeria (Castellón de la Plana) | Carmen Hurtado (Barcelona) | Carmen Segovia (Barcelona) | Carrete (Barcelona) | Casa das Peritas (Fisterra) | Casa de Velázquez (Madrid) | CCCB (Barcelona) | CENDEAC (Murcia) | Centre d’art la Panera (Lleida) | Chiquita Ediciones (Barcelona) | Consonni (Bilbao) | Corraini Edizioni (Mantova) | Cuscusian*s (Girona) | Danilo Montanari Editore (Ravenna) | DARDO (Santiago de Compostela) | Deep Edicions (Barcelona) | De La Pulcra Ceniza (Barcelona) | DoubleBrain (Barcelona) | Ediciones Anómalas (Barcelona) | Ediciones Originales (Barcelona) | Edicions 1010 (Barcelona) | Editorial Concreta (Valencia) | Editorial EXIT (Madrid) | Editorial Gustavo Gili (Barcelona) | Editorial RM (Barcelona, Mexico) | edRa, escola d’art i disseny de Rubí (Rubí) | El Naufraguito (Barcelona) | Els diccionaris (Barcelona) | Enciclopèdia Art (Barcelona) | Escola d’Art la Industrial (Barcelona) | Escola Massana (Barcelona) | Escola Superior de Disseny i Art Llotja (Barcelona) | Fundació Antoni Tàpies (Barcelona) | Fundació Foto Colectania (Barcelona) | Fundació Joan Miró (Barcelona) | Fundació Suñol (Barcelona) | Fundació Tharrats (Pineda de Mar) | Instantes Gráficos (Buenos Aires) | Galeria Sicart – Sic\Art Edicions (Vilafranca del Penedès) | Gallery / Bookstore Galerie&CO119 (Paris) | Lalata (Albacete) | L’Arengario Studio Bibliografico (Gussago) | Librería el Astillero (Cantabria) | Libros del Zorro Rojo (Barcelona) | MACBA (Barcelona) | Maga Books (Brooklyn) | Mercè Soler (Barcelona) | Minimae (Madrid) | Moreno&Soria (Terrassa) | Münster Studio (Barcelona) | MUSAC (León) | Museu Molí Paperer de Capellades (Capellades) | Museu del Disseny (Barcelona) | Museu Picasso (Barcelona) | Natasha Christia (Barcelona) | noPRESENT editorial (Sevilla) | Onomatopee (Eindhoven) | Oslo Graphic Barceloneta (Barcelona) | Photosai (Madrid) | Poursuite (Arles) | Raffaele Filannino (Cuneo) | Roca Umbert Fàbrica de les Arts (Granollers) | RocioSantaCruz (Barcelona) | Rubén Barroso Álvarez (Sevilla) | Sant Andreu Contemporani (Barcelona) | Studio Montespecchio (Modena) | Taller de gravat Manera Negra (Barcelona) | Taschen (Cologne) | Tinta Invisible edicions (Barcelona) | Tristan Barbarà editions (Barcelona) | Xilofera (Barcelona) | Ximena Perez Grobet | Artists ´ Books for artists (Barcelona) | YAXS (Guatemala) | Zentrum für Künstlerpublikationen / Centre for Artists’ Publications – Weserburg Museum für moderne Kunst (Bremen)