16/01/2009

Book art collaboration

I am making an artist bookwork (not sure if it will be an actual book at the moment -read on and see why!!!)

These are the instructions that were posted on Facebook in December - there are 50 participants ..........

(sub)Missive a Book Art Collaboration, is a new mail art project investigating the dissemination of ideas with particular reference to (mis)communication and power relations.
Taking the hierarchical construct as a brief, each participant will devise a set of instructions to create a new bookwork. Instructions may be comprehensive or restricted, ranging from the single word to the diagrammatic. Using the social networking forum as a platform for collaboration, each participant will contact the interested party above them in the attending list, after December 15th, for an address to post instructions to. Participants must post instructions out before January 5th. (so each participant both sends and receives instructions) Once instructions have been received, the collaborative partner will have a further 6 weeks to respond to and create their bookworks for possible inclusion alongside the Leeds International Artist Book Fair. Please retain letters and envelopes as these will be exhibited alongside finished works. Participants may want to consider this in the aesthetic of their instructions.

I sent off my instructions at the beginning of January to Vivien in Colchester, UK and at the beginning of this week I got my instructions in the post from Samantha all the way by snail post from Australia here is what I got......(this girl even has a typewriter!!) - click on the images for the detail

and WHEN I opened IT UP this ...........


how EXCITING is THAT!!!! so I've bought a carton of goat's milk as a start!!!! I forgot to photocopy my instructions before I posted them so I can't show you them I'm afraid. But I will post images from the final exhibition exhibits in March.

11 comments:

Leslie Avon Miller said...

Book arts and mail arts; yummy. I look forwrd to seeing this project progress!

Seth said...

This seems like quite a unique project. That set of instructions is an art piece in and of itself. Looking forward to seeing what you create.

Anonymous said...

wow, this is a cross between a 1000 journal project and an artist book challenge.

Cant wait to see what you make, and I love the idea.

notmassproduced said...

brilliant i love it

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

I'll be checking in regularly to see how this all evolves...a great challenge!

Jeane Myers said...

okay, I'm pathetic - I'm not following this very well and don't understand the challenge, but I do love the inside of the package you got! obviously everyone else knows what is going on, so I will just wait with anticipation and see how it all come about! - do I say 'good luck?'

rivergardenstudio said...

What a unique and exciting challenge. The old how to make a bed instructions remind me of how my mother taught me... now I have my own way that is much easier. And I have to tell you your banner is beautiful, like the fence is in the sky! Roxanne

RosieK said...

Thanks for your comments and yes i do feel challenged!!
Jeanne - the idea is that I interpret these instructions - the ones on the inside of the envelope in the form of a bookwork - as I have no idea what Samantha intended and I am not allowed to communicate with her you can see my challenge - but then again it is my interpretation (which may turn out rather bizarre!!) Thanks for the good luck i'll need it

jo horswill said...

Must be the time for hand bound books! What an interesting project and challenge...will look forward to it's evolvement.
I love the instruction page! it's an artwork in itself!

jenclair said...

Eager to see how this develops!

Karin Bartimole said...

What a cool project! I just came upon your blog doing a search for collaborative art, then saw your recent post, and traveled back to see where you started it.
okay - back to your newer post, with the envelope book...
Karin
I see we have a lot of similar links in our blog list, too :) even out here in the blogosphere, it's such a small world!