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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

100 BOOK

100book: A personal histories international artists' book exhibition highlights the dynamic world of contemporary artists' book practice, with contributing artists from over 16 countries. 
The exhibition has just opened at the Redland Art Gallery, Cleveland and runs until 10th May.
I have been lucky enough to have two books chosen for this wonderful exhibition curated by Robyn Foster - "blind spots" and "Yesterday"

















"blind spots" is a small book that  tries to make some of the the everyday, awful medical procedures into something beautiful. It refers to surgery and the treatment of melanomas and skin cancers which can occur anywhere on our body often catching us unaware.
Images are incised, waxed and scratched and filled with pigment to create layered translucent pages. Marks, scratches and symbols become codes associated with medical charts and personal experiences.
It is a 16 page single signature book of 90gsm waxed pastel paper in a 180gsm Fabriano, Tiziano embossed  cover which in turn is wrapped in waxed Japanese paper . Overall size - 210 mm x 145 mm.


















The book is a bit like a surgeon's notebook with a record of  sketches and plans of work that has been completed. The waxed paper has a soft feel like skin. For a more detailed look at the images, we'd love to see you at the exhibition but if that's not possible you will find the book on my website in the artist book folder.


















My other artists' book in the exhibition is "Yesterday". It is a collection of imaginary postcards housed in an oysterclam box. Since they are small, two-sided cards that need to be handled to view, I have put the images onto a digital slide show for the exhibition as well so that each card can be viewed without touching. A little less personal but not so much since the postcards don't have a special "feel" anyway.













 images referring to the passing of time line the inside of the box.














These 20 imaginary cards are based on actual events but the names and addresses have been changed. For the complete set of images please check out my website.












5 comments:

Amanda said...

Great to see you, however briefly, on Friday night Jack. Your work as always was neautiful. What a terrific idea to have the slideshow. I think it should really be the norm at exhibitions of artists' books. No where near as good as handling the book objects, but a lot more representative of the work than is often possible otherwise.

Amanda said...

That's beautiful, of course!!

Jacobus (Jack) Oudyn said...

thanks Amanda, yes it works for the post cards and other non-tactile work although intimacy is still a problem with the slideshow.

Nicola Moss said...

Congratulations Jack. Look forward to seeing the show soon.

Jacobus (Jack) Oudyn said...

Thanks Nicola,hope you enjoy the change of scale and intimacy.