Flattening the Curve

I am delighted that "Flattening the Curve", my entry for the Libris 22 Competition was shortlisted recently. It is always exciting to be amongst so many of the wonderful book artists in this exhibition but it amazes me how the judges can select us from such a small amount of information. (3 images, an artist CV and the artist statement.) 

In this post I'll try to give you some more insight of what the book is about and how it all fits together and show how the short artist statement can't adequately convey what the book is about  ----This was the statement that was sent :

"Flattening the Curve is informed by observations about how the Covid 19 pandemic developed and influenced a specific Covid language. The book unfolds as the daily "Covid" language with its special vocabulary and meanings evolved as the pandemic progressed through its different stages.  The book shows how daily progress reports and interviews in the media from our political leaders and medical experts became the focus of every day for the last two years and how language changes itself, its meanings and importance but also reflects its use for the purpose of authority and confidence."

The materials chosen affect the physical aspect of the book, how it will be presented and viewed to convey the story or central idea. Flattening the Curve is made on very thin rice and carbon papers from China [like COVID 19]to suggest compromised breathing which affects Covid 19 patients. Pairs of both papers were stressed to produce a carbon copy from the original. I have previously explored ways of working with carbon paper in "out of breath" and was able to utilize some of those results.

The carbon paper was worked on with pigment and white ink and fixed to stop the carbon making further marks. The white rice paper with the carbon imprint was also worked on with similar words and phrases being used during the pandemic at that time. The rice paper is treated with Stand Linseed oil to make it translucent. The two pages are like breathing in and out, the darker carbon paper shiny and thin with an image like damaged lungs seen through an X-Ray inside the body, and the translucent white rice paper with the copy of lung-like tissue representing the breath outside the body.

The words, language and mood of “Flattening the Curve” change as you progress through the book and the pandemic takes its course. Everyday words assume different meanings, medical terms become normalised and special Covid words and phrases appear. The language changes with the severity of the outbreak and mood of the populace as they change differently in different parts of Australia and other parts of the world.

 

Libris Awards visited

yours truly checking on "Keer Weer"

Even though I have been home several weeks, I've finally found some time to share some of my thoughts and the images of some of the beautiful books. It was an amazing show of wonderful books that moved me to the studio post haste. I'm so glad I was able to get to Mackay in time before the Libris Awards exhibition closed. It was a real credit to Mackay Artspace and the staff to host such a great show. However, once again it brought home to me how difficult life is for artist books in this context -being untouchable and so limited in their ability to really communicate when locked up under covers or on plinths.

Caren FLORANCE
 Pleasure demolition. Letterpress, various kraft papers, thread and pole.

Some work fared better than others in this environment. Karen Florance's piece moved gently in the airconditioned breeze, giving us all a great view of the whole work as intended with the play of moving shadows on the wall an extra bonus.

Helen MALONE
The legacy of absence and silence. Drawings and image transfers

Helen Malone's work, as were many others, were beautifully displayed on plinths that were approachable from all sides giving the audience at least some sense of intimacy that these works cry out for.

Bronwyn REES and Elizabeth BANFIELD
A different path. Etching and linocut on Somerset paper

However, I felt very sorry for some artists whose wonderful work was done a great disservice by being displayed poorly. This wonderful concertina book was only visible from one side because the plinth it was on was parallel to the wall so that the back was not visible at all. I must admit I was very naughty and moved the work slightly so I could see some of Bronwyn's work as well. This was not the only work displayed this way and I don't want to take anything away from the wonderful experience I had, but it could so easily be even better because it is so easily avoided. I was so glad that Bronwyn Rees had another work in the show.

Bronwyn REES Lost. Etching and collage

Again, unfortunately I don't feel this work was done complete justice in it's display. The interesting way in which the etching plate was used as the cover was not really noticeable but a more difficult dilemma to solve. I don't want to sound like a moaner and fault finder, particularly after such a wonderful exhibition, BUT we can and must try harder to make the difficult experience of showing artist books more valuable for the audience so they can be more involved with the work.

Janis NEDELA
 Unreadable book No.2. Sheets of semi transparent coloured shaped acrylic

My last gripe concerns the inaccessibility to the Artist's statement that accompanied the work through out the exhibition. The artists  were asked to include one in our submission and although the gallery had thought to reproduce the images in the show onto an IPad, sadly there was no copy of the artist statement for the audience or even a hard copy. So particularly for the more conceptual pieces like this classic by Janis Nedela, we were left totally in the dark about what the artist was trying to communicate. This work was under a cover on a plinth to stop you  trying to rearrange the perspex pieces, even if you were allowed. Again, so easily made better with the artist statement being available to the audience. 

Jazmina CININAS
Window (first class). Recycled envelopes, collage. 

Jan DAVIS
 Drawing on the ground. Carbon drawings, handstamped and handwritten text

Elizabeth JENEID
Special delivery. Wood, paper, tarlatan, paint

Keer Weer ready to travel

the wooden keel makes a wavelike form

the images and tone vary as you turn the pages

I be very surprised if too many people studying Elizabeth Jeneid's "Special Delivery" (above), would have worked out that it was about people trafficing or that my book,  "Keer Weer", a kindred spirit,  concerned boat people and "illegal refugees". I'd be also be very surprised if the curators that acquired my book for the State Library of Qld hadn't had the chance to read my artist statement or have any access to white gloves to explore the book fully. What a thrill to be there, accessible for all to share whenever they choose. We are so lucky!

Penny ALGAR
Biodiversity cones. Digital book.

George MATOULAS and Angela CAVALIERI
 Europa to Oceania. Text: Antoni JACH. Letterpress,
collograph, linocut, quarter cloth binding.

Caelli Jo BROOKER
 Finite caves (drowned). Ink, crayons, acrylic, dye, thread and paper.

I'm sorry I couldn't show all the work that inspired me that week-end, I clearly had too much time on my hands. I feel so lucky to have been able to explore this exhibition for two days with hardly a soul in the gallery. What bliss! 

In the meantime, I think that considering how your work will be presented (and photographed for your submission) are very important issues, crucial to being included in national exhibitions like this.

"more ?"

"outside reason"

Another little exploratory page from "one way ticket". The grey graphite marks were made with a great tennis ball sized ball of graphite from Portugal. Is there any limit to the range of marks that we can use? The graphite is soluble as well, so more possibilities again. After "fixing" it is possible to write on the graphite using white ink or gouache.
Comment if you would like to see more pages from this little collection of mark making research.

Meanwhile, Jenny and I are heading off to Mackay for a long weekend to check out the wonderful world of artist books at "Libris Awards".  Although all the selected artists have been shown in the catologue, there is nothing quite like seeing them in the flesh and donning the white gloves to look inside. It will be interesting to see how "Keer weer" fits in with all the other books from all over Australia.

"keer weer -turn again"

I am very excited that "Keer Weer" has been selected to be part of this years books for the Libris Awards at the Mackay Artspace and to be included with  such an esteemed company of book artists. As many of you may not be able to make it to Mackay to see all the books, I thought a blog of my entry may be good before the show opens and a possible site for all the participants work is established.

I like to use stylised imagery and text to  make artist books that examine our social and political anxieties. “Keer Weer – turn again” is informed by my concerns with the Australian Government’s treatment of asylum seekers who use boats to come to our island continent looking for freedom from persecution and a new life as migrants in Australia. 

The title of the book comes from the name of the spot in north Queensland where the first European landed in Australia. Capt Willem Janszoon from Holland arrived in his tiny vessel the Duyfken in 1606. He “turned back” of his own volition because he found the place unfriendly. The current, recent “turn backs” are more sinister and shameful.

The design is driven by layered word and image repetitions that change in tone as the book progresses from a darker to brighter more optimistic one. The individual pages of the book involve intense manual labour. This manual stressing and layering of the materials give the paper its special tactile quality.

The images of simple boats and the treatment of the Vietnamese paper with basic materials such as wax, turmeric and bitumen reference the cultural and hazardous conditions of the journeys. The resulting surface texture of the waterproof paper is soft and skin-like, pliable, despite its stressed treatment.

I have posted more pages and details on my Weebly site for those interested in detail and will add a few more here.

I made a wooden keel for the book so that it can be read and displayed in a wave like position.