I’ll be taking part in a roundtable discussion on photogravure at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts next month, along with three other practitioners of the process. This is free and open to the public – all are welcome and no reservation is required.
Photogravure is an art form with traditions in both photography and printing. Join us for a panel discussion on this unique process with artists Marvel Grégoire, Keith Taylor, and Carol Inderieden, moderated by Jes Lee Shimek. Discussion will include a short history of the medium, techniques and tools used, and reflections from artists on their experiences with the process.
Back around this time in 2012 I was asked to be one of the three judges for the 2013 MCBA/Jerome Foundation Book Arts Mentorship Series. Now, a year later, the work of the five recipients will be exhibited at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis. The opening reception, which is free and open to the public, is on November 8th. MCBA’s always an inspiring place to visit.
MCBA/Jerome Foundation Book Arts Mentorship Series IV November 8, 2013 – January 12, 2014 Opening reception Friday, November 8th, 6 — 9pm
The MCBA / Jerome Book Arts Mentorship Series is an artist development program aimed at introducing book arts to emerging artists whose primary medium is in another discipline. Featuring new work by artists Laura Andrews, Emma Burghardt, Lisa Loudon, Presley Martin and Dave Molnar, this exhibition celebrates the culmination of a year-long mentorship in the book arts, including intensive specialized training, group critique, and one-on-one work with master book artist mentors.
For artist bios and more information, visit MCBA’s website.
Since 1985, the Jerome Foundation has helped artists push the boundaries of contemporary book arts by supporting the creation of new book works. Through eleven series of fellowships (with a twelfth currently in progress) and four series of mentorships, Minnesota artists of extremely diverse disciplines — including printers, papermakers, binders, painters, sculptors, poets, photographers, choreographers, filmmakers and others — have created projects ranging from exquisitely crafted fine press volumes to documented performances to one-of-a-kind installations that “break the bindings” and redefine conventional notions of book form and content.
A respected and dedicated champion of the field, Minnesota Center for Book Arts is the largest and most comprehensive center of its kind. We celebrate the book arts as a vibrant contemporary practice that takes many shapes; our mission is clear, to lead the advancement of the book as an evolving art form. MCBA’s mission supports an important lasting vision: a world where book art is created, cultivated, celebrated, and understood as a vital and lasting expression of culture.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. Additional support provided by Target, Wet Paint, MCBA members.
Since 2006, I’ve been promoting contemporary image-makers and archiving their work in The Flak Photo Collection. Not surprisingly, many of those pictures reflect my personal interest in the environment and how humans respond to the land. So you can imagine my delight when curator Jan Howard invited me to produce a digital exhibition of 21st century American landscape views to complement her upcoming show at The RISD Museum of Art this summer.
I plan to revisit The Collection in search of images for this landscape projection but I’ll also be looking at websites across the Internet for inspiration. In the spirit of inclusivity (and with hopes for serendipitous discovery) I’m extending a public call for photographs depicting landscape in the United States since 2000.
There are no entry fees, deadline or formal application process, just email Flak Photo a link to your online portfolio and Andy will select images throughout July and August.
For those who have been following along, I was one of the six artists chosen for this fellowship in 2010-2011 (it runs every other year) and I loved it. My book, Dark Matter, was produced during that year.
During my fellowship year I got to learn about the history of artist books, the different forms of binding a book can take, lead typesetting, polymer plate making (for type and artwork), letterpress printing, silkscreen printing, multi-signature binding, paper making… The list goes on. And at the end of the fellowship year the work is shown in the MCBA gallery.
There are three information meetings that will explain the process and answer any questions. Tuesday, July 31, 2012 – 12:00pm, Thursday, August 2, 2012 – 5:30pm and Tuesday, August 7, 2012 – 7:00pm. All are held at MCBA.
Thanks to all who came out for the opening of the MCBA/Jerome show this past Friday – it was fun and we had a great turnout. For those who couldn’t make it, the show’s up until January 24th 2012.
In the next few days I hope to find time to copy all twenty of the photogravures and put them up on the website. I had hoped to have done this sooner, but it’s been a little chaotic recently.
The show is the culmination of a year’s worth of learning and hands on experience for the six recipients – Amanda Lovelee, Caroline Keefe, Rachel Perlmeter, Meryl DePasquale, Ben Lansky and myself.
Minnesota Center for Book Arts is located in the Open Book building at 1011, Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55415. 612-215-2520.
