New Exhibition Will Show the Major Influence of Book Arts in the Growth of Independent Artist Organizations "Artists' Books as (Sub)Culture" At the Center for Book Arts in NYC Opening Reception: Thursday, January 15, 2009 6:00 to 8:00 pm

New York City - Books are the ultimate alternative art space. By taking artwork out of the mainstream, with full creative control given to the artist, Artists' Books have played a major role in the growth of independent artist organizations seeking to expand the possibilities of exhibition and distribution. A new exhibition at the Center for Book Arts in New York City will highlight changing approaches to this phenomenon.   This exhibition, entitled Artists' Books as (Sub)Culture, offers a fresh look at the past thirty years of the book arts' role within independent artist groups. By highlighting 11 organizations ranging from non-profit organizations to artist collaborations, the exhibition reveals unexpected resonances among diverse groups which treat the book not only as an art object but as a social tool.   Exhibition organizer Natalie Campbell says, "Books and print media have allowed alternative artist groups to accomplish many of their goals simultaneously: create original work, engage socially with their communities and the contemporary art world, form innovative self-sustaining economies, and intervene creatively and critically in a wider context." Organizations covered in the show include: Dexter Sinister (New York), General Idea (New York and Toronto), Group Material (New York), LTTR (New York), Primary Information (New York), Temporary Services (Chicago), Visible Language Workshop at MIT (Cambridge, Mass.), The Woman's Building/Women's Graphic Center (Los Angeles), The Women's Studio Workshop (Rosendale, NY), Visual Studies Workshop (Rochester, NY), as well as The Center for Book Arts.   "Although these groups have diverse backgrounds, programs, and missions, it's important to consider the implications of their work for the ways that artists approach books today," says Natalie Campbell. "Artists' ideas of what alternative space is have evolved, so has their sense that books are not inert objects - they can be activated in so many ways. For instance, as direct access to means of production, innovative approaches to distribution, and using books in conjunction with performance, activism, education, and other social activities." Artists' Books as (Sub)Culture demonstrates this through unexpected approaches to book work, many of which are being presented together in a gallery format for the first time. In one example, the artists' group Temporary Services once "infiltrated" the main branch of the Chicago Public Library with a curated selection of artists' books, slipping a hundred of them - complete with call numbers - into the library stacks. In keeping with their prolific and democratic approach to publishing, Temporary Services commemorated this guerilla-style intervention with a booklet that served as a bibliography and commemorated the event. Visitors to Artists' Books as (Sub)Culture will see evidence of how works were selected, categorized, slipped onto shelves, and ultimately retrieved by librarians for formal incorporation into the library's collection.   Also on display will be FILE magazine, the publication released by the artist group General Idea. FILE was developed using the layout and style of LIFE magazine, but wittily inverted to show an alternative picture of contemporary life while rejecting boundaries between high and low, "alternative" and popular publication. Artists' Books as (Sub)Culture also includes ephemera from performance art that was held in conjunction with FILE, such as "reader-response" cards confronted critics and engaged audience participation.   Posters and ephemera from influential artist book centers including the Center for Book Arts, Visual Studies Workshop, The Woman's Building and the Women's Studio Workshop from the 1970s onward will be on view as well, giving a better understanding of the artistic cross-currents and social engagement within these groups. For anyone who appreciates alternative approaches to printing, socially engaged artwork, books, and media, this exhibition will provide a fresh look at evolving approaches to the production, distribution, and reception of artist publishing.   For hi-res images, contact James Copeland, 212.481.0295, jcopeland@centerforbookarts.org. Exhibition Dates / Opening Hours January 15 - March 28, 2009 Monday - Friday, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Saturday, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Exhibition Opening Reception Thursday, January 15, 2009 6:00 - 8:00 pm   Artist Talks Friday, January 30 at 6:30 pm Hands-on Paper Marbling with Dexter Sinister & Lauren Rowland Wednesday, February 18 at 6:30 pm Curatorial Perspective Wednesday, March 24 at 6:30 pm Artist Talk with Brett Bloom, Temporary Services ALSO ON DISPLAY: Featured Artist Projects   Zahra Partovi: A Poet Speaks   This experimental installation has three diverse elements, represents a "temple" to poetry and homage to the words of the 13th century poet J. M. Rumi.   The physical core of the installation is a wall of paper sewn onto booking mull. The sheets of paper are covered with the words of the poet. The sound installation enveloping the visitor is continuous recorded utterances of Rumi's poetry by 60 readers, sometimes as recitation, but often in speaking tone. The hypnotically repetitive 'moving image' installation metaphorically captures one of the most important principles of the poet's philosophy.   Artist Talk with Zahra Partovi: Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 6:30pm.   Jacqueline Rush Lee: INTROspective   This exhibition of work will showcase sculptures created entirely out of used books with selections from the 2005 Biennial of Hawaii Artists (Epic) and her 2002 exhibition Volumes. The installation will also feature a selection from her new series, Devotion (2008). These works are small in nature: they fit in the palm of the hand and complement while being a contrast to the large scale of the Volumes series. Support for the Center for Book Arts' Visual Arts Programs - Exhibitions, Featured Artist Projects, and the Artist-in-Residence Workspace Program - is provided in part by the Lily Auchincloss Foundation. Additional support for the Center's exhibition and residency programs is provided in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts.          For more information and for photo credits, please contact James Copeland at jcopeland@centerforbookarts.org.