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Australian Library of Art

Artists’ Books in April at SLQ

By Christene Drewe | 24 April 2016

Artists’ books were the focus on Sunday 17th April at State Library of Queensland with the Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Lecture 2016, a display by the Siganto Foundation Fellows and a performance by Siganto Foundation Creative Fellow Clyde McGill.

Clyde greets Dr Marie Siganto AM during his performance. Image courtesy Doug Spowart.

Clyde greets Dr Marie Siganto AM during his performance. Image courtesy Doug Spowart.

The day commenced with a display showcasing the nine Siganto Foundation Fellows’ achievements.
The inaugural Fellow Peter Anderson’s research in 2013 was looking into artist run spaces that emerged in Brisbane during the 1980s. The display illustrating Peter’s research included ephemeral items from the collection. His research provided the foundations for the current UQ Art Museum exhibition ‘ephemeral traces: Brisbane’s artist-run scene in the 1980s’.

The remaining eight fellowships were awarded to artists interested in either researching artists’ books or creating a new work based on State Library collections.
Jan Davis’ work Drawing on the ground was a splendid addition to the collection and was exhibited with the preparatory sketches, mock-ups and research materials including ‘Glengallan Station Labour Book’.

Jan discusses her work

Jan discusses her work

Doug Spowart ‘s research, 'PHOTOS+BOOKS: Towards a nomenclature for the photograph in the artists’ book and the photobook' resulted in an excellent report which was available to visitors. His artists’ books and those of fellow Siganto Foundation Researcher Victoria Cooper with whom Doug often works collaboratively added significant interest for the exhibition.

Doug explains techniques he uses

Doug explains techniques he uses

Victoria’s passion for and research into montage was beautifully illustrated with her artists’ books particularly in her work 'The story of the gorge', a work  inspired by traditional Chinese landscape painting and scroll making.

Victoria chats with visitors. Image courtesy of Doug Spowart

Victoria chats with visitors. Image courtesy of Doug Spowart

Julie Barratt reviewed collection items, interviewed past inhabitants and researched many aspects of Blair Athol, the Queensland town that was relocated to make way for an open cut coal mine. Her personal connection with the area resulted in a poignant multimedia artists’ book ‘Blair Athol recut’ which created much interest in the display.

Artist Sandra Pearce reading ‘Blair Athol recut’. Image courtesy Doug Spowart.

Artist Sandra Pearce reading ‘Blair Athol recut’. Image courtesy Doug Spowart.

Clyde McGill’s fellowship project 'Looking for Queensland’s boundaries: the poetry and the magic of ephemeral evidence' resulted in an intellectually stimulating work ‘Seven conjectures on looking for place’. In addition to this work Clyde exhibited a series of small prints, all expressions of ‘place’ which he created during his fellowship research.

Siganto Fellow Lyn Ashby enjoys ‘Seven conjectures on looking for place’.

Siganto Fellow Lyn Ashby enjoys ‘Seven conjectures on looking for place’.

Ana Paula Estrada has used collection resources to elicit memories for senior citizens interviewed for her fellowship artists’ book project 'A senior’s journal; memories for others'. As a work in progress visitors were offered a snapshot of Ana’s work with selections of prototypes for her final artists’ book. Observing readers’ engagement with her prototypes, Ana Paula has now implemented some subtle design changes for the final work.

Ana Paula’s artists’ book prototypes reviewed

Ana Paula’s artists’ book prototypes reviewed

The 2016 Research Fellow Lyn Ashby exhibited a selection of works created between 2006 and 2015 from the ALA collection of artists’ books. Lyn’s interest in story telling is reflected in his artists’ books which through their imagery, language, typography and incorporation of space in page design invite the reader to engage intimately with the story.

Lyn discusses his work with artist Helen Sanderson

Lyn discusses his work with artist Helen Sanderson

Marian Crawford has just commenced her fellowship work and exhibited a selection of artists’ books including works featuring Banaba (Ocean Island), the subject of her current Siganto Foundation creative fellowship project.

Marian discusses her work.

Marian discusses her work.

The Siganto Fellows exhibition was a huge success and created significant interest, introducing the genre to visitors who happened upon the event in the Library & set the scene for the day’s celebration of artists’ books at SLQ.

 

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