The NGV are hosting the inaugural Melbourne Art Book Fair from Fri May 1 – Sun May 3. Aside from being a place to buy art books, they’ll host a bunch of book launches, performances and lectures on issues around the future (and history) of art book publishing. And nope, it’s not limited to just artist books but theory books, coffee table books, monographs and independent publications from around the world. There are so many ways in which art and literature intersect, and we spoke to Megan Patty, curator of the first Melbourne Art Book Fair, about these intersections, about which events she’s excited about and some of her favourite art-related publications.
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What’s your role in organising the inaugural Melbourne Art Book Fair?
My role in the Melbourne Art Book Fair has been to curate this event from the ground up; with the efforts and ideas of a truly amazing team here at the NGV we have been able to bring together a very exciting first event. An event that involves local and international publishers, designers, writers, architects and covers emerging, independent and established publishing practice − a true testament to the incredible publishing talent we have in Australia.
What do you think the importance of publishing is to an often visual (or experiential) medium such as art?
Publishing has always been a way of disseminating a message to a broad audience; a message that isn’t limited to time and place. For artists publishing can be a cost-effective way of their work reaching a lot of people and for their work to be not only documented by critically discussed in a different context.
What do you think are some of the crossovers between art and literature are?
Throughout history art and literature have always been intrinsically linked; at times the reading of art relies on the heavy work of critical writing and applying these ideas to wider historical, social and political contexts. It is also really interesting to me when some artists and publishers prefer their work is presented without literature; without a narrative or contextualisation.
What are some of your personal highlights within the Art Book Fair program?
The programming for the Melbourne Art Book Fair is a chance for audiences, publishers, designers, writers and artists to be involved in some lively and important discussions around art publishing in its diverse aspects and iterations. I feel this programming is a way of opening up new dialogues around publishing as a key part of contemporary practice.
The NGV has commissioned five new limited-edition artist books to be launched at the Fair, I think these launches and signings pretty exciting, a way to meet artists and buy books that are limited and very special. The 5 artists that have each produced a new book are Bindi Cole Chocka, Jess Johnson, Minna Gilligan, Patrick Pound and Gareth Sansom.
I am thrilled that Printed Matter are coming out to Australia for the first time at the Melbourne Art Book Fair as a key international exhibitor and are also presenting a keynote lecture and talk. The Tokyo Art Book Fair and HeHe, a small publisher from Japan have curated an outstanding selection of Japanese art books that I feel will be very special.
The below three are just a snapshot of events I am really looking forward to – but is so hard to choose!
Sat 2 May, 2.30pm
Book launch: Painting is a Critical Form by Helen Johnson
Presented by 3-ply
Artist Elizabeth Newman launches Helen Johnson’s latest book, Painting is a Critical Form (2015), published by Melbourne’s 3-ply. Focusing on works by Juan Davila and Martin Kippenberger, Helen’s book proposes an extended understanding of how painting can operate aesthetically.
Venue: Great Hall
Free entry
Sun 3 May, 3.30pm
In conversation: I like your tome, but what’s the content?! Architecture and publishing.
The singular architectural image reigns supreme on RSS feeds and in micro-media, but Architects continue to enshrine the architectural publication as core to their design practice. In the
last few years alone, Melbourne architectural giants, such as Ashton Raggatt McDougall, Edmond and Corrigan, and Lyons Architecture have produced hefty tomes of their work while the design manifesto has re-appeared as a popular platform for emerging practices. What is the content of architectural publications, and how does this contribute to the practice of architecture?
Convener: Timothy Moore, SIBLING.
Speaker: Andrew Mackenzie, Director, Uro Publications and City Lab.
Speaker: Cristina Goberna, co-founder of Fake Industries Architecture Agonism (FKAA).
Venue: Great Hall
Free entry
Sun 3 May, 2.30pm
Performance, book launch and signing: Jon Campbell and The Narrows
Jon Campbell will perform at the Melbourne Art Book Fair. Following the performance he will be launching a new limited-edition artist book Lettering published by The Narrows.
Art publishing can be experimental too – what kind of interesting experimentation have you seen from artists / writers / publishers who are speaking at / holding a stall at the Melbourne Art Book Fair?
West Space has been doing some interesting publications that cross over into digital such as West Space Journal. They will be launching Issue 4 of the Journal at the Fair with a script read by Isabelle Sully and Lewis Fidock and will also have a stand.
Aesthetically speaking the return to printing techniques such as risograph printing is pretty interesting – works printed on a riso have such as great tactile nature and unique look – it is a great way of doing something that looks amazing for not much money. As part of the Fair there are 2 programs that deal with risograph printing, a demonstration by Xavier Connelly of Dawn Press and a design talk by The Ilam Press out of New Zealand and Stuart Geddes who have collaborated on risograph projects and Ilam Press have a stand at the Fair too!
Sun 3 May, 11am
Demonstration: Risograph printing
Dawn Press is a creative printing service operated by Xavier Connelly and one of the few commercial Riso printers in Australia. Xavier will give a demonstration with his Risograph printer.
Sunday 3 May, 1pm
Talk: Risograph publishing with Ilam Press and Stuart Geddes
The Ilam Press is a non-profit arts publishing project operating out
of the Ilam School of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury (Christchurch, New Zealand) and Stuart Geddes runs a small design studio based in Melbourne with a critical interest in print publication design. Together Aaron Beehre (Ilam Press) and Stuart Geddes discuss the aesthetics of and motivations for risograph printing.
What are some of your favourite art publications?
As someone who has a book addiction this is truly difficult question for me. I buy a lot of illustrated art books but these days I also buy critical art texts and texts by artists. I also have a collection of art books about art books.
Richard Prince: American Prayer
Published by Gagosian and Rizzoli this book is a look into bibliophile artist Richard Prince’s private book collection. At 600 pages and beautifully illustrated it gives insights into Prince as an artist and a collector – it’s also insanely voyeuristic for a fellow book lover.
Do it: The compendium by Hans Ulrich Obrist
Published by Independent Curators International (ICI) and D.A.P this book is proof that a publication can transcend just being a publication. The book is a continuation of a conversation around experimenting with the ways art can be displayed and the ways we interpret art.
How to look at a painting by Justin Paton
It was a book published by AWA Press, then it was a TV series; it might be a bit old now but it is so beautifully written by New Zealand born curator Justin Paton. This book should be compulsory reading for anyone working in the arts or trying to write about art. I have bought so many copies of this as gifts.
Endless Present: Robert Rooney and Conceptual Art (exhibition catalogue)
Published by the National Gallery of Victoria this small but very handsome publication by Maggie Finch looks at a selection of conceptual photographs and artists’ books produced in Melbourne and internationally during the 1960s and 1970s. The publication is a look into the past but for me the works hold such resonance today and are so beautiful.
Where in Melbourne do you usually go to peruse or buy art books?
Lately I have found myself buying books directly from artists and publishers however there are so many amazing bookstores in Melbourne such as Perimeter Books, World Food Books, Metropolis and the NGV Design Store has a fantastic range of art publications from local and international publishers. There are also a number of artist-run spaces and galleries in Melbourne producing great books including Bus Projects and Gertrude Contemporary.
**COMPETITION**
Thanks to the NGV, we have a double pass to the preview night and an NGV Art Book Fair tote bag to give away. The opening night features performances by Nick Selenitsch, Jonnine Standish (HTRK), Laila Sakini (Day Care) and the ever-suave Darren Sylvester and gives you the chance to peruse limited edition publications. To enter, email info@emergingwritersfestival.org.au with the subject line ‘all the art books all at once’.
Melbourne Art Book Fair Preview Night
Where: NGV International, 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne
When: Friday May 1, 6pm
How Much: TICKETED GENERAL ADMISSION SOLD OUT. Members tickets ($16) still available, and limited tickets available on the night ($15).
More information: here
The Melbourne Art Book Fair runs Fri May 1 – Sun May 3.