01/12/2022
CALL FOR ART: CONCEPTUAL BOOKS
Keith Smith has argued that an artists’ book can exist solely in conceptual form, not unlike the statements of Sol LeWitt, Lawrence Weiner or Yoko Ono.
There are also those books that remain conceptual for practical reasons: too complicated to realize or too simple to bother, too expensive, too hard to sell, too dangerous, too many other priorities.
This project will compile conceptual books by participating artists into a single volume that will, in fact, be produced by as a physical book. Will the printed book lend substance to these imaginary works and spark surprising juxtapositions? Or undermine its own conceptual underpinnings? Yes and yes – isn’t that exciting?
The final form will depend on the submissions, but it will be a print-on-demand book with textual descriptions/statements from each artist. (Any style of writing is encouraged — deadpan or lyrical, questions or statements.) Participating artists will be able to purchase their own copies of the finished book on demand, which means the project won’t be constrained by start-up costs. Any exhibitions, spin-off projects or other news and opportunities will be communicated to participating artists.
The deadline for submissions is 11:59 pm on Monday, February 28, 2022. We hope this gives time for interested artists to conceive new works if they wish (although this project is also intended to revive old projects from notes and sketchbooks).
Artists can submit to the project using the Google Form linked below (and in our bio):
https://forms.gle/SmgNJvcyf42Ns9Zo7
Please share this call with anyone you think may be interested. We hope the dematerialized nature of this collaboration results in participation from people who aren’t always represented in existing book art projects.
