“Micro Pages” by Abigail Thomas…..
Leeds Metropolitan University…..
“Please wind the microfilm reader back to the start when finished”
While sharing a studio with a book maker, conversations about how her work may be presented occur on an almost daily basis. In micro form, however, has yet to be suggested…
“Micropages” is a unique, transportable exhibition which aims to raise a number of concerns surrounding the display of artists’ books; including creating the opportunity to discuss artists’ books and their display, encouraging engagement of public library users and promoting the traditional archival side of document preservation by using microfilm in a non traditional way.
A selected series has been turned into a reel of 35 mm microfilm and can only be accessed through specialist readers found in libraries and archival centres. Relating to the history of artists’ books and the future of preservation; the traditional handling of the books is eliminated. We get no sense of texture, smell or weight of the books; an extreme equivalent of placing books behind a glass case. The usual intimacy of the object has been removed, yet this has been replaced by the close inspection we must give in order to properly see these tiny images.
Our fingers become dangerous, potentially creasing, crumpling or smudging the pages, is the answer to flatten and silence the book through the removing of its function? Abigail Thomas has a new proposal; through a transformation of light. By converting the books to microfilm, a new mechanical function is needed to view them; the winding up of a machine replaces the customary page turning; while one element may be eliminated, a new one is established.
Selected Artists:
– Sarah Bodman
– Lucy Harrison
– Esther Yarnold
– Dorothy Smallman
– Pilar Cortes
– Kim Pilgrim
– Lynne Williams
– Annabel Ralphs & Tom Ralphs Laman
– Kate Gallon
– Csaba Pal
– Laura Guy
– Borbonesa & Emitron
– Lacey Prpic Hedtke
– Hanne Matthiesen
– Ann Willmott
– Abigail Thomas
– Kerri Cushman
