What is an Art Book?

An art book today can occupy many positions: a piece of theory, a catalogue, a printed exhibition, a work of art in itself or a supplement to an existing piece. It can propose a future, examine the present or consider what has passed.

What is an Art Book? investigated the art book’s material and conceptual concerns through a collaborative project produced during Artists’ Books Weekend at The Mews Project Space. Artists, writers, curators, designers and other practitioners were invited to interpret what an art book meant to them and their practice.

Contributions could take the form of text, drawings, photographs, sculpture, performance, audio, video or any other concept or theory, provided they could ultimately be realised on A4 paper in black and white.

Contributors: Adrianna Palazzolo, Alan Magee, Alice Bain, Aukje Dekker, Begona Morea Roy, Briony Anderson, Carlos Noronha Feio, Craig Cooper, D J Roberts, Dominic Paterson & Neil Celements, Gary Colclough, Gayle Meikle, Hanane Ech-Charif, Imogen O’Rorke, James Brooks, Jeremy Akerman, Jo Ying Ping, Joanna Greenhill, Kate Janes, Kate Terry, Keh Ng, Kirsty Buchanan, Kristian De La Riva, Lewis Biggs, Lee Maelzer, Liane Lang, Lizzy Whirrity, Maria Fusco, Mark Jackson, Martha Sophie, Mary Yacoob, Mashu Ru, Matthew Stock, Mikael Larsson, Neil Coombs, Nicole Wassall, Olga Raciborska, Paul O’Kane, Pure Evil, Sarah Ludemann, Satu Jokinen, Shane T Hall, Thibaut DeWolf, Tina Hage, Vera Tollmann, Waldemer Pranckiwicz, Warren Garland and Wassink Lundgren.

Artists’ Books Weekend was an initiative of The Mews Project Space. Participating organisations included Donlon Books, IMT Gallery, X Marks the Bökship, @AND/OR Gallery, A estante, AMIW, or-bits.com and Liminous Books.