"Change transform II"

 

In 2020,  Jonathon Oxlade and I made a varied edition of two books "Change  Transform" . One of these was entered in the Manly Artist Book Award 2021 and now 2 years later we have both revisited the remaining book to make "Change Transform II". The book will be entered in HARD design show curated by Calum Hurley in Melbourne Design Week 18 -21 May.

This book follows the same condition that in making any change, nothing must be subtracted or cut off the original.  However, in addition to folding, cutting and changing the shape of pages, we have made small additions to the pages by responding with thread or pigment to make marks that effect the change and transform the pages and provide a way of linking or seperating the pages. 

The book also makes use of colour and form to focus and link different pages in a gentle, suggestive manner. The collaboration produced new, exploratory results that excited both of us. 

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.