Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Espresso Book Machine

The Espresso Book Machine (EBM), shown here on display at the London Book Fair, has been billed as the most revolutionary development in books for half a century.

See it.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Art Lies
Issue No. 61, Spring 2009
Second Acts

http://www.artlies.org

When Guest Editorial Contributor Stuart Horodner first approached me with his concept for this issue of Art Lies, "Second Acts," my first thought was that it would be a novel departure from the rigor and density of recent issues. Stuart proposed the commissioning of essays, projects, recipes, images—you name it—by artists, curators and writers who are deeply engaged in "other" acts, be they gardening, cooking, fishing, traveling or collecting. As our discussions continued, it became apparent that his concept was not as straightforward as it first seemed. People generally do not think of creative types—artists in particular—as being in need of respite from their work. This fallacy is either indicative of a romanticized notion of what it means to be an artist (or curator or writer) or systemic underappreciation of what it means to have a real studio practice.

Thus, as it turns out, the premise of Second Acts is a bit deceptive in its simplicity because it addresses the multifarious rituals of assigning value. Being a self-sustaining, full-time artist/curator/writer requires a set of skills not unlike those in other professional arenas. The endeavors chronicled herein may be deemed hobbies by some, but they could also be considered passions, social experiments—even coping mechanisms that counterbalance the often hermetic nature of artistic practice. And, highlighting the wonder, joy, recognition and satisfaction gained by "additional" endeavors offers insight into the complexity and/or contradictions involved in attempting to separate a person's primary and secondary interests—to dislodge what one does for money from what one does for love, for release, for relief—and what we are willing to risk in the process.

-Anjali Gupta, Editor

Feature Contributors:
Regine Basha
Zoe Crosher
Stuart Horodner
Scott Ingram
Jörg Jakoby
Germaine Koh
Dominic Molon
Chris Riley
Jacinda Russell
Joe Sola
Jack Whitten

With artwork by: Zoe Crosher, Adam Helms, Stuart Horodner, Matthew Lusk, Melaine Manchot, Rachel Owens, Adam Overton, Justin Parr, Lucy Raven, Steve Roden and Stephen Vitiello, Stephen Schofield and Erin Shirreff.

Reviews Include:
Atlanta-Susan Richmond on Avantika Bawa
Austin-Kurt Mueller on Temporary Services
Boston-Evan Garza on Douglas Weathersby
Dallas-Noah Simblist on Olafur Eliasson
Houston-Garland Fielder on Soledad Arias
New Orleans-Erin Starr White on Prospect 1
New York-Riley O'Bryan on Artist as Troublemaker
Philadelphia-John Ewing on Field Reports
San Antonio-Wendy Weil Atwell on Alex Rubio & David Vega
And Alex Jovanovich on Doubt by Richard Shiff

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Book Works

We are looking for artists and writers interested in experimental prose fiction, who transgress all the boundaries separating art and literature. Think of the ways in which Paul Gilroy theorised the history of modernism through the rubric of the Black Atlantic, W.E.B. Du Bois and double-consciousness, and the inescapable links between race and class: Anthony Joseph, Kathy Acker, Amiri Baraka, Samuel R. Delany, Darius James, Ishmael Reed, Ann Quin, Clarence Cooper Jr, Claude Cahun etc. Above all we're looking for artists and writers willing to take risks with their prose and who demonstrate total disregard for the conventions that structure received ideas about fiction.

Semina takes its inspiration from a series of nine loose-leaf magazines issued by Californian beat artist Wallace Berman in the 1950s and 1960s. The series is commissioned and edited by artist and writer Stewart Home. The series will publish nine books, six of which will be selected from open submission, two commissioned by the editor, with Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie by Stewart Home the final title in the series.

The selection from open submissions will be made by Stewart Home and Book Works. The series is designed by Fraser Muggeridge studio.

Deadline for applications is 29 May 2009.

Contact gavin@bookworks.org.uk or visit our website for more information http://www.bookworks.org.uk

Semina series:
No. 1 Index by Bridget Penney (2008)
No. 2 One Break, A Thousand Blows! by Maxi Kim (2008)
No. 3 Bubble Entendre by Mark Waugh (2009)
No. 4 Rape New York by Jana Leo (2009)
No. 5 To Whom Life by Ashkan Sepahvand (2009)
No. 9 Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie by Stewart Home (2010)