Month: October 2023
A BOOK ABOUT A BOOK
| Pop Quiz By Dave Dyment About the project: A near comprehensive collection of all of the questions posed in pop songs from the artist’s music collection. 360-page softcover artist’s book 5″ x 8″ Edition of 500, numbered and signed by the artist (each with unique handwritten question) $50 |
Experimental 2/3
ARTIST BOOK PROJECT: A BOOK ABOUT A BOOK
Note on Schedule:
1. Book design workshop with Nathan
2. WORK IN PROGRESS due for discussion
3. ***Final works uploaded and submitted for printing deadline****
4. Works will also be discussed in progress during class.
Consider a book. Use any book you are interested in – a novel, a textbook, a book of essays, a field guide, a book of maps, a self-help book, an instruction manual, a cookbook, a memoir, a monograph… the possibilities are endless.
Choose one book as the point of departure for a print-on-demand artist book that you will develop and design in class. Like examples of artist publications discussed in class, your artist book will emphasize image over text and be an artwork in its own right. It can be any length or size available on Blurb.com under a budget of (total) $30 including taxes.
Your work can be about the book, use the book’s images, respond to or engage the book in any way. Consider content, text, meaning, and image in your work. The original book may or may not be visible or obvious in your finished work – but the artist book will represent your own version of the ideas in the book, and your own responses. The work may be discursive and legible, or it may be austere, formalized or abstract.
Strategies and motifs you may consider:
Scanning and photocopying from books
Using found photographs from the internet
Taking photographs
Working with appropriated text
Using text as image
Making a book from the past into the present
Focusing/repeating one detail in a book
Exploring visual references in the book
Responding to cover art, diagrams or illustrations in a book
Playing with scale
Rearrangements and reorientations
Drawing from books
More student examples:
See also: Dave Dyment and Nothing Else Press
*Bring three possible books to work with and discuss on Thursday
Week 7
Finish Environmental Video Art critiques
Artist Book Collection and reading together in class
Discuss book design/concepts
ARTIST BOOK ASSIGNMENT:
| Pop Quiz By Dave Dyment About the project: A near comprehensive collection of all of the questions posed in pop songs from the artist’s music collection. 360-page softcover artist’s book 5″ x 8″ Edition of 500, numbered and signed by the artist (each with unique handwritten question) $50 |
Experimental 2/3
ARTIST BOOK PROJECT: A BOOK ABOUT A BOOK
Note on Schedule:
1. Book design workshop with Nathan
2. WORK IN PROGRESS due for discussion
3. ***Final works uploaded and submitted for printing deadline****
4. Works will also be discussed in progress during class.
Consider a book. Use any book you are interested in – a novel, a textbook, a book of essays, a field guide, a book of maps, a self-help book, an instruction manual, a cookbook, a memoir, a monograph… the possibilities are endless.
Choose one book as the point of departure for a print-on-demand artist book that you will develop and design in class. Like examples of artist publications discussed in class, your artist book will emphasize image over text and be an artwork in its own right. It can be any length or size available on Blurb.com under a budget of (total) $30 including taxes.
Your work can be about the book, use the book’s images, respond to or engage the book in any way. Consider content, text, meaning, and image in your work. The original book may or may not be visible or obvious in your finished work – but the artist book will represent your own version of the ideas in the book, and your own responses. The work may be discursive and legible, or it may be austere, formalized or abstract.
Strategies and motifs you may consider:
Scanning and photocopying from books
Using found photographs from the internet
Taking photographs
Working with appropriated text
Using text as image
Making a book from the past into the present
Focusing/repeating one detail in a book
Exploring visual references in the book
Responding to cover art, diagrams or illustrations in a book
Playing with scale
Rearrangements and reorientations
Drawing from books
See also: Dave Dyment and Nothing Else Press
*Bring three possible books to work with and discuss on Thursday
Student examples:
More student examples:
FIELD TRIP SATURDAY OCT 21 –
Field Trip Itinerary
Saturday Oct. 21, 2023
****BRING THIS ITINERARY WITH YOU. Share phone numbers with another classmate or class bus supervisor.
Bus departs UC loop at 9:30 am
Arrives at MOCA at 10:30 am
*Under 18 admission is free
* Student admission is $10 with ID
158 Sterling Road, Toronto, Ontario.
Admission PWYC (note main exhibit closed)
Also: Art Metropole
Bus departs MOCA at noon
Bus arrives at TPW at 12:15pm
170 St Helens Ave, Toronto,
Also: Daniel Faria Gallery/Clint Roenisch Gallery
But departs TPW at 12:45
Arrives at Kensington Market at 1:15
Corner of Augusta and Baldwin
Bus departs Kensington Market at 2:30pm
Bus arrives at Mercer Union at 3pm
1286 Bloor St. W
Bus departs Mercer Union at 3:30 pm
Bus arrives at U of Guelph UC Loop at approx. 5:00pm
Week 6
Thanksgiving holiday
Critiques for Environmental Video Art
Week 5
TUESDAY and THURSDAY
Work time in arboretum
Editing and consultations in class*
Show and discuss work in progress
Environmental Video Art
Something that I feel is very important is the incorporation of the Earth in the art world, there is a deep connection between humanity and the environment that mothered us. With the abundance of resources our environment gives us, there is ample opportunity for creation.
One of my favourite ways artists have used the environment is through the raw use of the Earth’s natural push and pull (wind). Tim Knowles’ Tree Drawings are my personal favourites. In this series of drawings, Knowles sets up plain white paper within reach of a drawing device attached to the branch of a tree. The tree branch is guided by the spontaneous nature of the wind to create unique and lively drawings. The idea that the artist steps away from doing work and gives a voice to natural elements gives the Earth a voice and a sentimental nod to its unpredictability and change.
Another favourite environmental piece is a video art piece done by the Agricultural artist group Kultivator, titled Dinner with Cows. This video is one of many documentations of a group dinner with humans of all ages, some being toddlers some being elderly, and adult cows. There is not much documented on this piece, however, seeing these cows eat at the same table and from the same plates as humans is quite jarring. Beef consumption is very prominent in many people’s lives, having dinner with an animal most well known to be something humans eat is a humorous yet uncomfortable sight.
Zozo
Something that I feel is very important is the incorporation of the Earth in the art world, there is a deep connection between humanity and the environment that mothered us. With the abundance of resources our environment gives us, there is ample opportunity for creation.
One of my favourite ways artists have used the environment is through the raw use of the Earth’s natural push and pull (wind). Tim Knowles’ Tree Drawings are my personal favourites. In this series of drawings, Knowles sets up plain white paper within reach of a drawing device attached to the branch of a tree. The tree branch is guided by the spontaneous nature of the wind to create unique and lively drawings. The idea that the artist steps away from doing work and gives a voice to natural elements gives the Earth a voice and a sentimental nod to its unpredictability and change.
Another favourite environmental piece is a video art piece done by the Agricultural artist group Kultivator, titled Dinner with Cows. This video is one of many documentations of a group dinner with humans of all ages, some being toddlers some being elderly, and adult cows. There is not much documented on this piece, however, seeing these cows eat at the same table and from the same plates as humans is quite jarring. Beef consumption is very prominent in many people’s lives, having dinner with an animal most well known to be something humans eat is a humorous yet uncomfortable sight.
Stacking books as an art form is akin to the likes off blackout poetry, in which one would search out prewritten words to form a completely new text. Since my book collection is fairly small and I lend literature to many people, I dug through the University of Guelph’s library to see what stacks I could make. I found this to be a meaningful exercise when using text with limited resources, digging and the art of “hunting and gathering” should be taught in art school.
There were books which targeted my self-esteem and I made an effort to have both me and the books be insulted directly. Very punk.
I dug into a very intimate part of my being and acknowledged my fear of letting go of things I need or crave.
Good question.
I am Generation Z, but broke Millennial’s are still a sad sight to see.