Last Saturday I met up with some friends to go check out a between-exhibitions event at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh! It was the Artists' BookMarket that featured over two dozen independent presses, book artists and printmakers. It. was. fabulous. I mean, how could it not be, when so many of my favorite things come together in one event? Art/printmaking/illustration and poetry/literature and bookmaking. Gah, it's so great.
I set out to pick up some pieces. I haven't picked up much in the way of ephemera during my stay in Scotland, and I thought this would be the perfect excuse to pick up some things that I can add to my personal library/collection and also work as arty souvenirs over the long-term.
I found a wonderful photography book by photographer Fergus Jordan who was there representing his own work as well as the publisher the velvet cell which has put out some really streamlined, gorgeous photography books.
One of the numerous exhibitors // via //
But aside from the arty photography books and the gorgeous presses, there were some really beautiful independent Scottish publishers as well, some of them with more of a focus on Scottish literature and poetry. I scooped up an amazing little gem called 'Twelve Sea Pictures' by Leonard McDermid, which is something of a concrete poem printed on various papers by Stitchill Marigold Press. Good old fashioned letterpress printed and hand-stitched pamphlets, just gorgeous. And Leonard was awesome.
I could have gotten really carried away, but I controlled my purchasing urges and stuck with a few choice things that I dearly treasure already. I think that printmaking and bookmaking is something, though close to my heart and a part of my background already with experience at the used bookstore, that still maintains an aura of mystery and wonder because I know so little about the process. But the fact that books, so mass-produced these days, can be seen in terms of art... that's just wonderful.
Cheers!
Kate xx
Ahhh I wish I could have gone to this! Looks incredible. At one point in high school, I got really into altered books and bookmaking, and ever since then I've just loved that idea of the physical book itself being a work of art.
ReplyDeleteadventuresinhel.blogspot.fi
Definitely, me too! I love that the idea has gone mainstream in ways, too, with that Wreck This Journal title and others... I think there's something to that combination of art and ephemera that makes it so wonderful!
DeleteKate
I love getting lost in markets like these. They are just full of treasures. Also, love those rings!
ReplyDeleteLisa | c/oMKE
Thanks Lisa! I found myself thinking of your post about the big garage sale/market and your cool photos. (And thanks! The rings I found at a local art fair in Wisconsin... I still think those are the best places to find unusual jewelry! I always save my pennies for summer art fairs for that reason, ha!)
DeleteKate x
Definitely not the type of architecture you see in the States! I keep reminding myself to enjoy it while I'm here because I sure don't get to look at this kind of stuff in Wisconsin! ;)
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Kate