Artists' Books lunchtime talks at Glasgow School of Art - 3 Feb 2010

On Wednesday 3rd February 2010, the Glasgow School of Art's Archives and Collections Centre is hosting two 20 minute lunchtime talks on the subject of artists' books, in conjunction with Micropages, a touring book arts exhibition on show in the Archives and Collections Centre from 1st-5th February 2010.

Talk 1 (12.00): Abigail Thomas curator of Micropages will give an introduction to the exhibition.
Micro-Pages will start a conversation about the issues surrounding the display of artists’ books. A series of selected artists' books has been turned into a reel of microfilm for this touring exhibition. The work will be accessed through microfilm readers in participating libraries and archive centres. The books selected relate to the history of artists’ books, archives and libraries, or challenge the preconceptions of the future of preservation and display. This short talk will explore the themes presented by the Micropages exhibition, which will be available for visitors to look at before/after the talks.

Talk 2 (12.30): Duncan Chappell, Academic Liaison Librarian at GSA [and SVAG member] will talk about the extensive collection of artists books held at the School.
The Glasgow School of Art Library has a superb and comprehensive collection of artists' books, amassed over many years. Housed in the Mackintosh Library, the collection can be consulted during its normal opening hours and features over 2,000 items. Items in the collection come in all kinds of forms: from edible books to calendars, and from multiples to musical books that play a tune. We even have books in the form of moebius strips, or books made from human DNA embedded and fired in porcelain. We continue to actively build the collection today. This short talk by Librarian Duncan Chappell will introduce a wide range of examples, with an opportunity to learn more about the Library’s collection. There will also be an opportunity to browse through the books on display.

Spaces are limited so please contact Susannah Waters (GSA Archivist) if you are interested in attending.

'Micro-Pages' is a book arts exhibition which is starting a conversation about the issues surrounding the display of artists' books. It is also promoting libraries and archives around the UK and encouraging engagement with art and archives and issues of digital and traditional preservation.

For more information, please contact:
Abigail Thomas, Artist & Curator
abi-thomas@hotmail.co.uk
http://www.abigailthomas.co.uk/
http://micropages.ning.com/

AAH Conference comes to Glasgow in April 2010

The 36th Association of Art Historians (AAH) Conference will be held at the University of Glasgow this year, from 15-17 April 2010. Further details can be found on the AAH website, which said about the conference: "Various critical themes have shaped AAH conferences in recent years, and provided a focus for disciplinary self-reflection. We seek to continue in this reflective spirit, but rather than organise the conference thematically, the 2010 conference is a general one from which different themes are expected to emerge."

A Model of Order: the Concrete Poetry exhibition continues in Edinburgh

A Model of Order: Concrete Poetry, the Scottish Poetry Library’s pioneering collaboration with the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and other collections throughout Edinburgh, has coordinated a city-wide celebration of concrete poetry from October 2009. This continues until 3 January 2010 at the Dean Gallery and the Edinburgh College of Art library.

SNGMA re-hang exhibition: What You See Is Where You're At

The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh is celebrating the re-hang of its collection until 28 February 2010. Their website describes the "exhibition" in this way:

"What you see is where you're at launches a year of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. The Collection will be divided into thematic displays, bringing together iconic works, forgotten pieces and new acquisitions.

Features include a room focusing on still life; space dedicated to collage, two successive rooms contrasting the use of colour around 1910 with the use of colour in Pop and Op art from the 1960s, and a further room is devoted to an exploration of white.

Elsewhere, single artists or works are made the focal point, such as Martin Boyce's large-scale installation Electric Trees and Telephone Booth Conversations, a two-room display curated by the artist Callum Innes, rooms dedicated to American artist David Schutter and German artist Kitty Kraus, and works by Douglas Gordon. THERE WILL BE NO MIRACLES HERE, a major work by Nathan Coley, will be installed in the grounds of the Dean Gallery.

This dynamic programme showcases new displays from the collection, as well as new commissions from leading Scottish and international artists. Displays will change on a rotating basis, so there will be something new to see each time you visit."

ECA Open Day: Friday 30 October

The Edinburgh College of Art Open Day is an annual event, open to all who want to find out more about study at ECA. Aimed primarily at prospective students considering undergraduate study, the Open Day also caters for all those interested in postgraduate courses, part-time study, evening classes or classes organised as part of the celebrated Summer School.

Further information can be found on the ECA website.