Afterall Journal interview
Trevor Hickman’s block cut (Brewhouse Broadsheets, 1967) remake of a Mathias Huss wood cut. Huss’ original, published in Lyon in 1499, was from a folio he cut for an edition of the so-called Dance of Death, ‘La grât danse macabre’.
It is the first known image of a printing press or bookseller, and actually represents the full process of publishing as a synthesised flow. From left to right in the image you can see: Death; compositor; Death; puller 1; puller 2; Death; and a bookseller. In the few lines of French dialogue that accompany this momento mori Death tells the publishing foursome to come swiftly; to leave their euqipment, presses and cases; and not to try to conceal any faults, for it is in the work that one knows the workman.
You can read an interview with Nick commissioned by Afterall Journal for their ‘Artists at Work’ series, conducted by Louise O’Hare of Published & Be Damned, on the subject of self-publishing, here.
Site Gallery talk
Nick Thurston will give an invited talk at Site Gallery, Sheffield, on the subject of libraries and artists’ publishing, in conjunction with the gallery’s current exhibition, ‘Print It’. You can also enjoy iam books as part of the specialist bookshopinstalled during the show
BBC Radio York: Do or DIY
Patrick Wildgust, curator of the Laurence Sterne Trust and Nick Thurston, editor from information as material explain on BBC Radio York that self-publishing is nothing new. Laurence Strene from Coxwold was doing it 1759 when he wrote The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman. Hear about the Do or DIY exhibition at Shandy Hall.
‘How the Great Writers Published Themselves’: Independent Newspaper review
The Independent newspaper — one of Britain’s daily broadsheets — ran a two-page essay review on iam’s ‘Do or DIY’ exhibition at Shandy Hall in last Saturday’s edition. The review by Christina Patterson, which tried to situate the project in terms of the upsurge in commercial self-publishers and the traditional valuation of publishing houses, can be read here.
Iam in ‘Pop Up Artists’ Bookshop’, Site Gallery
Pop-up Bookshop, Site Gallery, 2012
Iam accepted the kind invitation of Site Gallery to join in with their ‘Print It’ exhibition project. As a result, you can enjoy and buy a curated selection of iam titles at the gallery until early September as part of the Pop-up Artists Bookshop.
