Big Boots and Bad Boyfriends Box of Bad Fortune Marguerite Mitchell by Tara DeLong It’s my favorite time of year again, time for the annual Print and Book Show at ECIAD. This is an event that I always seem to draw a lot of inspiration from artistically; both visually and in terms of literary art. The show this year is no exception to that wonderful opening of creative forces. I think that publicly, the Print and Book Show is very successful. This past weekend there were literally crowds of people coming in to view the show and they seemed to identify with the work quite a lot. I think this is because books and prints are familiar to and recognizable in the pubic domain. The prints this year were quite well done, farther reach- ing in techniques than in years past. In fact, I’ve seen a lot of amazing things come out of Printmaking this year. But what I particularly like about the show are the books. I enjoy interacting with them and I appreciate how vastly different and personal they are. They are tactile, they are visual, they are sensual and they are informative (even if not academical- ly). Many of them sever the notion that a book needs words to even be a book, by establishing the concept that art is book-wor- | enjoy interacting with the books and | appreciate how vastly different and personal they are. They are tactile, they are visual, they are sensual and they are informative Oma Stephani Lara Carter Untitled Leila thy (or perhaps it is the other way around, books can be art-wor- thy). The books in the show make me remember when I was a kid. I was curious, fun-loving and desperately seeking knowl- edge; and then along came books. At first they were pure pleasure for the senses, lovely picture books, sculptural pop-up books, scratch and sniff, books that had textures and sounds, books that were beautiful and interactive. Along with books came, new words, new meanings and new ideas that were all very exciting. Then this horrible thing called school happened. Books became flat, colourless, and devoid of images, Finger-painting and drawing limited themselves into plain black and white writing. The whole colourful, round world was conformed to a flat world of bland black ink on white paper. Books were no longer as rewarding or enjoyable. Books entailed work, regurgitation and boredom, often while smelling nauseously of mildew and moth balls. The Book and Print Show offers an escape from the dull, machine-produced clones of everyday books. The books in this show are (forgive the pun) art books. They are hand-made and have personality. They have an exploratory, beckoning feel to them and for the most part are very rewarding. Most of these books can be picked up and seem to beg for your interaction with them. When you do pick them up, they become a part of you for as long as you hold them. It is a very personal experience and an experience that few forms of art can offer. No one can walk between you and a book the way they can with a painting or a sculpture, and you cannot interact with a film the way you can with a book. And yet these books are sculpture, and.paintings and (almost) films (I am referring to Betty Fahlman’s flipbook Quinten Throws a Snowball with it’s celluloid cover). The only thing miss- ing is a sound book. A few pieces of particular interest are Stephani Lara Custer’s Oma, and Marguerite Mitchell’s Box Book of Bad Fortune. Custer’s Oma is a beautifully wood-carved box lined with heavy green textile. Within the box is a series of folded linens with family portrait-esque stories and images. Unfolding the linens I almost get the sense that I am sorting through a stranger’s very personal laundry and drawers (in fact the majority of the books have a voyeuristic feel to them). What I like about this piece is that every time I open it, the linens are in a different order, telling a different story. Marguerite Mitchell’s piece Box Book of Bad Fortune is a very playful piece that draws upon human curiosity. It is a small red box with a series of golden drawers each containing a "truism" about men, minisculely printed on a fortune cookie sized piece of paper (which is where I draw the "truism" connection). Like Oma, the concept of the draweris very inviting to people, their first reac- tion is to open it to see what’s inside. With this piece you are lit- erally going through someone’s drawers (yes, there are some sex- ual connotations there). The last book I am going to mention (although there are many wonderful books -in the show) didn’t have a name attached to it. This "book" is one of the most sculptural pieces in the show- one that would be very hard to pick up and read. It’s What’s New at the Annual Book and Print Show quite simple, but it’s beauty lies within its simplicity. It is a large branch of a tree split open in halves with a single statement with- in. This splayed open tree seems dissected and takes on a human form that relates to the text. The text flows very freely and is rem- iniscent of sap seeping out the wood. I like the use of the tree - after all that is where paper comes from, but find the use of stick- on letters distracting to the naturalistic feel of the work. As for the Printmaking part of the show, I find myself amazed with the breadth of work that was accomplished. The multi-layered colour prints of Heidi Benefiel and Brandy Masch have some amazing colour interactions going on in them. This depth of colour is an effect that is unique to the medium of litho- graphy and requires many hours of repetitive work, but with quite pleasing results. Sascha Yamashita’s series of litho prints Descent into the Subconscious is precariously positioned along the staircase, instill- ing almost any viewer with a fear of losing balance - which is very much the artist’s intent. The prints all consist of stairs that offer no support or balance and the horrific, fearful places they lead to. Although the placement of the prints is successful in conveying a feeling on uneasiness and instability, it also makes the artwork very hard to see and allows very little space or time for contem- plation. I have seen quite a few people trip on the stairs while try- ing to view the oversized prints, while others opt for an obstruct- ed view from the gallery floor, either way the prints cannot be seen in their entirety. I have been fortunate enough to see these prints in a context other than having to hurtle myself down the stairs. I viewed prints through their various stages of creation over the past year from my perch high above the Litho department when I walk out of animation. From that viewing place I was not over- come with a sense of unbalance, but the images where much more accessible visually and graphically interesting. I will end on a piece that I’m not quite sure qualifies as a print or a book. The overall shape of the untitled ceramic sculp- ture by Liela reminds me of a giant boot composed of silver faces with mouths covered by the word "breathe." The piece has words but lacks an opening and closing element common to books, and consists of quantity-produced faces, arguably a form of printmak- ing, but still seems nothing more than a sculpture to me. It has a lot of potential to give a serious message about being trapped and silenced, but the glitz of the piece renders it as "happy and fun." The silver faces, faux rhinestones and red velvet pedestal would feel right at home at any number of fetish shops along the Granville Mall. This piece has a twin that I have seen outside of the context of the gallery, sitting on a bed of newspapers, and seemed much more powerful because it is not quite so shiny and pristine. Overall, I think the Print and Book Show is highly suc- cessful. The show is intriguing and well worth a close examina- tion. The Print and Book Show will be in the Concourse Gallery until March 14. VP. C.Wong Influx: Magazine March1999 43 a Big Boots and Bad Boyfriends What’s New at the Annual Book and Print Show Box of Bad Fortune Marguerite Mitchell by Tara DeLong es my favorit ime of year again, ime for the annul Print and Book Show at ECIAD. This isan event that I ahrays seem to draw a lot of inspiration fom artistically both visually Sod i terms of literary ar. The show tis year is no exception to that wonderful opening of creative forces. thnk that publicly, the Print and Book Show is very sucessful This past weekend there were literally crowds of people coming in to Vew dhe show and they seemed to identify with the work quite alt. think this is beeuse books and print are familiar 9 and recognizable in the pubie domain. ‘The prints this year were quite wel done, farther reach- ing in techniques than in years past. Tn fact Te seen lot of amazing things come out of Printmaking this yar ‘But what particularly ike about the show are the ‘books I enjoy interacting with them and I appreciate how vastly sliferent and personal they are. They are tact, they are visual, they ae sensual and they are informatie (cwen ifnotacademical- Iy). Many of them sever the notion that « book needs words ‘even be a book, by establishing the concept that ati book-wor- | enjoy interacting with the books and | appreciate how vastly different and personal they are. They are tactile, they are visual, they are Oma sensual and they are informative ‘thy (or pethaps itis the other way around, books can be ar-wor- ty) “The books inthe show make me remember when Iwas 1 Kad. I was curios, fun-loving and desperately secking know ‘ge; and then along came books, At first they were pure pleasure for the sense, lovely picture books, sculprual pop-up books, scratch and sail, books tha had textures and sounds, books that were beautiful and interactive Along with books came, new Words, new meanings and new ideas that were all ery exiting. ‘Then tis horible thing elle school happened. Books became at, coloures, and devoid of images, Finger painting and drawing limited themselves ito plain black and white writing. The whole colourful, round world was conformed toa fat world of bland black ink on white paper. Books were no longer as rewarding or enjoyable. Books entailed work, regurgitation and boredom, often while smeling nauseously of mildew and moth walls “The Book and Print Show offers an escape from the dul, machine-produced clones of everyday books. The Books in this show are (forgive the pun) art books. They ae hand-made and have personality. They have an exploratory, beckoning fel 0 them and for the most part are very rewarding, Most ofthese books can be picked up and seem to beg for your interaction with them. When you do pick them up, they become a par of you for as long as you hold them. eis avery perionl experience and an ‘experience that few forme of art can offer, No-one can walk ‘benween you and a book the way they can witha painting ora sculpure, and you cannot interact witha Sm the way you can ‘with a book. And yet these books are sculpeure, and paintings and. (almost) Sms (Lam referring to Betty Fabiman’sfipbook Quinton Thro a Snobal with is celluloid cover)The only thing miss- {ng ia sound book ‘A few pieces of particular interest are Stephani Lara CCusters Oma, and Marguerite Mitchells. Bex Book of Bad Foe. Custee's Oma isa beautifully wood-carved box ined with hheay green textile. Within the box i series of folded linens with family poruaitesque stories and images. Unfolding the linens almost get the sense that Tam sorting through a stranger's very personal laundry and drawers (in fact the majority ofthe books have a voyeuristic felt ther). What like about this piece that very time Topen it the linens rein a diferent order, tling a ‘ferent tory ‘Marguerite Mitchells pice Bay Book of Bad Foruane is «very playfl piece that draws upon human curios Ie is small, red box with a serie of golden drawers each containing a"wulm” bout men, minisculely printed ona fortane cookie id pce of paper (which s where I draw the "truism" connection), Like Omay the concept ofthe drawers very inviting to people, thee Gest reac tion isto open itt see what's inside, With thin piece you ae lit. erally going through someone's drawers (js there are some sx- ‘al connotations ther). "The lst book Tam going to mention (although there sare many wonderful books in the show) dida't have a name attached toi, This "books one ofthe most sculptural pices in the show- on that would be very ard to pick wp and read. I uit simple, bur is beauty lies within ts simpli, Is large ranch of re split open in halves with single statement with= in. This splayed open tree scems distected and take on a human form that relates othe text. The text lows very ely and is ex inscent of sap seeping out the wood. lke the use ofthe tee ~ afterall has were paper comes fom, but ind the ute of tick- ‘on leters distracting tothe naturalistic fel ofthe work [As for the Printmaking part ofthe show; I find myseit amazed with the breadth of work that was accomplished. The ‘multilayered colour prints of Heidi Benefit and Brandy Masch Ihave some amazing colour interactions going on in them, This depth of colours an effect thats unigueto the medium of itho- raphy and requires many hours of repetitive work but with quite pleasing results ‘Sascha Yarashita's series of tho prints Decent int the ‘Subconscious is precariously positioned along the staircase, nile Ing almost any viewer with fear of losing balance — which every ‘much th artist's intent. The prins all consist of stairs that ofer ‘o support or balance and the hors, fearful places they lead 0. ‘Although the placement ofthe pins is socesful in conveying & feeling on uneasiness and instability, alo makes the artwork very hard o see and allows very ltl space or time fr contem= lation. Ihave seen quite afew people tip on the stairs while uy Ing to view the oversized prints, while others opt fr an obstact- ce view from the gallery oor, either way the prints cannot be seen in dheir enters: Thave been fortunate enough to see thes pints ina context other than having to hurde myself down the srs. I ‘cwed prints through their various stags of eration over the past year fom my perch high above the Litho department when I ‘alk out of animation, From that viewing place {was not ove ‘come wit a sense of unbalance but the images where much more accessible visually and graphically interesting Twill end on apiece that I'm not quit sure qualifies a5 a print ora book. The overall shape ofthe untied ceramic sculp- ture by Lila reminds me of giant boot compote of ier faces swith mouths covered by the word “breathe” The piece his words ‘but acs an opening and closing clement common to books, and ‘consists of quaniy-produced face, arguably a form of pinta ing, but sil seems nothing more than a sculpture to me. It has Tot of potential to give a serious message about being rapped and silenced, bu the ght ofthe piece render it a “happy an fun.” ‘The sliver faces faux shinestones and red velvet pedestal would feol right at home at any number of fetsh shops along the Granville Mall This piece has twin that [have seen outside of the context ofthe gallery, sting on bed of newspapers, and seemed much more powerful because it mot quite s0 shiny and esti. (Overl I think the Print and Book Show is highly suc- ‘ssf. The show is inteiguing and well worth «close examina tion. The Print and Book Show wil bein the Concourse Gallery ‘unl March 14 ve. €.Wong Influx* Magazine ~March1999 43