Passages in Preservation: An Exhibition in 3 Parts
Passages in Preservation is part of a series of exhibitions presented as part of Humanities 311: The Practice of Artists’ Publishing.
Passages in Preservation: An Exhibition in 3 Parts
Curated by Adriana Arjona, Justina Bohach, Catherine de Montreuil & Tori Schepel
Emily Carr University Library
Vancouver Art Gallery Library
Limited Time Library at Unit/Pitt Projects
How does the architectural space of a library affect the ways in which we experience artists’ books? Do libraries hinder accessibility by hiding books away to preserve them through systems of archiving? Is the ability to touch an artist book intrinsic to our reception of it?
Passages in Preservation examines the manner in which the unique form of the artist book is affected by specific conditions found in libraries. Taking the form of a scavenger hunt, the exhibition will lead participants towards a curated selection of artists’ books, to encounter diverse architectural spaces and organizational systems of three libraries: the Emily Carr University Library, the Vancouver Art Gallery Library, and the Limited Time Library at Unit/Pitt Projects.
Since the rise of artists’ publications in the 1960’s, artists’ books have been grounded in ideologies of affordability, multiplicity, accessibility, interactivity, and an ease of transportability and distribution. The exhibition looks at how placing books in special collections, archiving, preserving and safeguarding them, ultimately imposes an aura of ‘artifact’ upon what was formerly hailed as non-precious, a democratic multiple within art production and the art market.
However, libraries remain excellent resources for accessing artist books, provided memberships are in order and they are located in reasonable proximity to the user. Passages in Preservation invites participants to explore some of these resources in Vancouver, considering their idiosyncrasies and commonalities.
Instructional brochures will be located in the upper mezzanine of the Emily Carr University Library from October 29th to November 16th, 2015.
Passages in Preservation is part of a series of exhibitions presented as part of Hum 311: The Practice of Artists’ Publishing.