At 3:00 pm on March 31, 2015, the press conference on contributions wanted for the 2nd “Diamond Leaves” was announced at the VIP room of CAFA Art Museum, to reveal the basic idea for the “Diamond Leaves” artist books event as well as the relevant regulations for the contributions wanted.
Gao Gao, assistant director of the Academic Department of CAFA Art Museum, Xu Bing, professor of CAFA, chief curator of the exhibition, Wang Chunchen, Director of the Academic Department of CAFA Art Museum, Wan Jie, President of Artron Art Group, Vice President Song Qiang, General Manager Guan Yu, as well as dozens of media representatives attended the press conference.
“Diamond Leaves” was initiated by Xu Bing, the first session was shown at CAFA Art Museum in September, 2012, and the exhibition was divided into one thematic exhibition, two special exhibitions and a peripheral exhibition. The first show allowed the art circles and the public in China to realize the comprehensive art media “artist book” as it has been developing around the world, and also laid the foundation for a developed brand. The 2nd solicitation event faces the artist groups in Asia, and Xu Bing said at the conference that, it hoped to gain back the Chinese cultural traits in the fields of papermaking, movable-type printing which had made great achievements since ancient times, while it also hoped that Chinese artists could consciously bring the national cultural identity into the production of an artist book, in order to make up the regret for only a few Chinese artists participating in the first exhibition of “Diamond Leaves”. Artron is one of the partners for the two sessions. Wan Jie introduced several key projects planned around “artist book”, such as “World Artists Association of Manual Book” prepared by Xu Bing, etc., Artron was a powerful production company of art books, trying its best to support the creation of an artist book by Chinese artists, and they also hoped Chinese artists make full use of the promotional production.
The 2nd “Diamond Leaves - Artist Books from around the World” will be launched in October this year jointly curated by Xu Bing and John Koh (book collector, director of Bernard Quaritch, Ltd.) and it will continue as a triennial production. In addition to continuing the essential global thematic shows during the first term, it also calls for entries from Asia (please refer to the ‘About the contributions wanted for artist books’). Ultimately, the expert review panel will select 50 outstanding works for the Diamond Leaves exhibition.
Artist book
The Artist book is an artistic “l(fā)eafing through” publication that uses this format as a means of engagement between reader and artist. It features the artist in, on and of a “book space,” and the form freely transforms and integrates literal reading, visual enjoyment and the material. Artists working in this form make full use of the qualities of text, of poetry and painting, of material choices like the feel of paper or ink. These books are made by artists who personally type set, paint, print and bind their works. This kind of art truly represents our persistent love for reading, printing and the scent of ink, and creates a wonderful and attractive space between the pages we leaf through in reading artists’ books.
Abstracted from the preface of the exhibition of “Diamond Leaves”About the contributions wanted for artist books
Target Group: Anyone who is interested in making artists’ books in Asia
Valid Time: February 2015 – August 20, 2015
Duration: October – November, 2015, CAFA Art Museum
Instruction of the contributions wanted
I Any number, form and theme of artists’ books. (Not the installations with books as material and sculptures made of books, but the artworks which can be leafed through instead. The aesthetics can only be formed through “l(fā)eafing through,” which is also the core difference of “books” from other things).
II The submissions must be original works of contributors, and to ensure full copyright ownership of the works.
III After the submission of contributions, the professional jury will select 50 excellent works from all the submissions for the exhibition, and the contributors agree that the organizers have the power to display and publish the work.
IV The organizers have the interpretation power to the alter the details of the event.
Awards:
I 50 outstanding works of all contributors’ work are selected to attend the 2nd “Diamond Leaves”
II Among the all the exhibits (including the invitational exhibition section), 1 Lifetime Achievement Prize, 1 Gold Prize, 2 Silver Prize, 3 Bronze Prize
III The exhibition will publish a Chinese-English bilingual catalogue, and organize the related touring exhibition
Collection Information:
I The works should be submitted with the resume of the artist, a brief description and the electronic images or videos.
II The second round selection will be notified by the staff of the organizers after the primary round, original works will be required.
III Please submit works to gaogao-cafam@qq.com, or post to: CAFA Art Museum, No.8 Hua Jia Di Nan St., Chao Yang District, Beijing, P. R. China, Zip: 100102, Contact: Gao Gao , Tel : +86-10-6477-1695
Text by Zhang Wenzhi, Photo by Wei Wei/CAFA ART INFO
Translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO
