06 Oct 2010

The Grammar of Books

The Grammar of Books

The project 'The Grammar of Books' deals, in three exhibition formats, with the multifarious facets of artists' interactions with the medium of books.

The first area of emphasis is represented by the Verein für Original-Radierung (Association for Original Etchings) which has become an archive of contemporary art books production. A selection of art books and special editions in the 'temporary reference library' – developed by the Munich sculptor Martin Wöhrl specially for the exhibition – gives the visitor direct access to the medium.

The second is represented by four site-specific artistic interventions in antiquarian bookshops and the opening of the archive for art books and more. In addition to the artistic approach of the individual sites, here the central emphasis is on the discussion dealing with the fundamental changes pertaining to all sectors of the book market (such as the manufacture, the distribution of books, the reading of them etc.).

An exhibition of international artists in the Artothek represents the project's third area of emphasis. Here, the imaginary and political areas that open up the medium of the book as an instrument for imparting knowledge are questioned. In the dynamic field situated between power and powerlessness, works by the artists Albert Coers, Jean-Pascal Flavien / Julien Bismuth, Loek Grootjans and Jovana Popic deal with the scenario of the disappearance of the book and the related values and knowledge systems.

The exhibition project 'The Grammar of Books' is positioned at the interface of differing disciplines. It represents the discussion surrounding the book as a theme and its role as an instrument for imparting knowledge, as a commercial object and a subject of artistic communication. Many of the artistic works tackle the theme of structural conditions in knowledge production. Furthermore, the exhibition highlights the increase in production runs of a very small number of copies using classical printing techniques such as woodcuts and etchings. Last but not least the significance of newly introduced technologies is examined as well as the changes they cause. The project 'The grammar of books' aims at reflecting on the origins and historical manifestations of book printing in the context of current issues and social discourse.

Organized and curated by Wolfgang Ellenrieder and Anna Schneider
Curatorial support by Clara Meister (Intervention III) and Heike Ander (Intervention IV)


Temporary Reference Library
Architectural installation by Martin Wöhrl (Munich)
Opening day: Thursday, 14.10.2010, 7pm
Exhibition dates: 15.10.10 - 12.11.2010

The exhibition in the Verein für Original-Radierung makes available international art books and editions with a printing run of a very small number of copies, which are at the interface between objects of art and objects of daily use in a temporary library conceived specifically for this purpose.
Location: Verein für Original-Radierung München e.V., Ludwigstraße 7, 80539 Munich.


Site-specific Interventions in Antiquarian Bookshops
Opening day with tour, Saturday, 16.10.2010, 2-6pm
Artistic interventions are to be found in the windows or on the premises of four antiquarian bookshops within walking distance of each other. Here, the topic for the artists is to accept the individual site, to reflect on its significance as a storehouse of knowledge and as a window to another world, and to set it in a new context.

Locations:
• Intervention I: 'Total Sellout' by Christoph Ruckhäberle (Leipzig) c/o Antiquariat Kitzinger, Schellingstraße 25, 80799 Munich
• Intervention II: 'Clio' by Florian Schneider (Paris/Berlin) c/o Antiquariat Knobloch, Schellingstraße 32, 80799 Munich
• Intervention III: 'All the Time' by Julieta Aranda (Berlin), Nico Dockx (Antwerp) and Douglas Gordon (Berlin); curated by Clara Meister c/o Antiquariat Zipprich, Zieblandstraße 2, 80799 Munich
• Intervention IV: 14th Box-Performance by Olaf Probst (Munich); 5pm curated by Heike Ander c/o Basis bookshop, Adalbertstraße 41, 80799 Munich
• Archive for art books and more: collector's selection of magazines from art to life style c/o Archive for art books and more, Türkenstraße 60, 80799 Munich


Final Character
Opening: Tuesday, 19.10.2010, 7pm
Exhibition dates: 20.10.10 - 6.11.2010
Forms of deconstruction of the book. Works by Albert Coers (Berlin), Loek Grootjans (Breda), Jean-Pascal Flavien (Berlin) / Julien Bismuth (New York) and Jovana Popic (Berlin)
Location: Artothek, Bildersaal, Galerie und Kunstverleih der Stadt München, Rosental 16, 80331 Munich


Press contact: Anna Schneider, schneider@radierverein.de, +49-(0)89-280 884

Supported by Kulturreferat München, Hypo-Kulturstiftung, Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst, Color Gruppe, Stiftung Federkiel.