Artists’ Book Collection
Manly Library has been active for more than half a century and is today the focus of many innovative cultural programs serving our community, including the commencement of an Artist's Book collection in 2011.
Exhibition Opening Event
The collection began with an Artists' Book Award held at Manly Library, which was opened by Monica Oppen and Peter Lyssiotis. Works added to the Artist's Book collection were selected and Judged by Akky van Ogtrop- Art Historian/President of the Print Council of Australia and Therese Kenyon – Director Manly Art Gallery & Museum. Entries were been received from around the world, marking this as a globally recognized event.
The Collection
An artist Book Collection in Manly Library Reflects in a challenging and thought –provoking way the long tradition of enquiry, curiosity and innovation that books signify when placed in the hands of artists. Artists’ books are naturals for libraries, stressing the creative potential of the book medium and restating the long standing relationship between the book and the library.
This Award has provided Manly Library with the opportunity to develop an artists’ book collection and in so doing also contributes to the development and awareness of artists’ books as an art form.
Each acquired book will be available to be viewed in the library and will be digitally available via the library website for unlimited access supporting programming of many kinds: workshops, lectures, exhibits etc.
The Manly Library Artists’ Book Award acquisitions are:
- Deidre Brollo (NSW) for her work ‘Untitled’ – Employing archival pigment prints, the work uses specific historical events and their aftermath to examine relationships of people to place.
- Angela Cavalieri (VIC) for ‘Certe Cosse non si dicono’ - Concertina artist book, hand printed linocut, brush and ink.
- Gwen Harrison and Sue Anderson (NSW) for ‘Someone Somebody Run II’ - Multiplate photocollograph and collagraph intaglio prints. The work investigates the circuitous administration of refugees by Governments in which their decisions result in brutality and injustice to exposed and displaced peoples.
- Clyde McGill (VIC) for ‘Atlas: Strongman’ - A hand stitched chapbook of 24 pages of letterpress, digital images, drawings, stencils and text.
- Lise Melhorn-Boe (North Bay, Ontario, Canada) for‘Body map’ - Gidée-printed on ink-press fine art matte paper. A look at how environmental chemicals can affect our health.
- Janis Nedela (WA) for ‘Palindrome No. 39 – MA/AM’- The text of a palindrome inscribed in one direction on one, in the reverse direction on the other.
- Alan Purdom (NSW) for ‘Homage to Homage’ - A celebration of the influence of Josef Albers of Bauhaus fame.
- Barbara Schmelzer (NSW) for ‘A Collection of Australian animals’- The book explores the phenomenon that many Australians see their country’s wild animals often only in zoos.
Artists Books Available Online