New York- The Center for Book Arts is proud to present the latest exhibition, Politics of Place, curated by Alexander Campos and Monica Oppen. The exhibition will be held from January 18 through March 30, 2019. 

From the mechanisms of colonialism, to intractable wars, displacement has become a catalyst to a contemporary discourse surrounding belonging, homeland and nationhood. Politics of Place highlights artist books, mainly from Australia and North America, both new world territories that share parallel histories, to explore the longstanding issues centered in indigeneity, enslavement, conflict-caused immigration. These issues reflect the undercurrent of political motives and decisions often decentering and ignoring the voices of those displaced. 

Artists and Authors include: Sue Anderson, Julie Barratt, Aileen Bassis, Neda, Parastoo and Maryam Bahrami, Doug Beube, Tia Blassingame, Bonney Djuric, Jas Duke, Noga Freiberg, Colette Fu, Anne Gilman, Parra Girls, Adam Golfer, Lyall Harris, Gwen Harrison, Claudia, Heinermann, Michal Iwanowski, Murtaza Ali Jafari, Ann Kalmbach, Tatana Kellner, Peter Rutledge Koch, Taller Lenateros, Jason Lujan, Peter Lyssiotis, Clyde McGill, Vivienne Mehes, Gideon Mendel, Mohammed , Tammy Nguyen, Iviva Olenick, Lefteris Olympios, Fakhruddin Rajai, Madina and Yalda Sayer, Indre, Michael Serpytyte, Patricia Silva, Anne Twigg, Juana Valdes, Judy Watson, Philip Zimmermann, Debra Magpie Earling, Lily Hibberd Dominique Malaquais, Paul Mason and Sonya Winterber.

Meet the artists and curators at the opening reception on January 18th at 6:30pm, and the Roundtable discussions on January 25 and February 28, 2019 at 6:30pm.

The Center for Book Arts promotes active explorations of both contemporary and traditional artistic practices related to the book as an art object. The Center seeks to facilitate communication between the book arts community and the larger spheres of contemporary visual and literary arts, while being a model organization locally, nationally, and internationally within the field. We achieve this through exhibitions, classes, public programming, literary presentations, opportunities for artists and writers, publications, and collecting. Founded in 1974, it was the first not-for-profit organization of its kind in the nation.

Support for the Center for Book Arts’ Visual Arts Programs is provided, in part, by the New York State Council for the Arts, with the support of Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs of the city of New York in partnership with the City Council, and by the National Endowment for the Arts. The 2019 History of Art series is co-sponsored by the New York Chapter of the American Printing History Association.

A collection of watercolour sketches by English artist William Page (1794-1872) sold for £8,500 (plus buyer’s premium) in Tennants Auctioneers’ Books, Maps and Manuscripts Sales on 19th December. Page, who attended the Royal Academy Schools in the early 19th Century, travelled widely across Europe and the Ottoman Empire, capturing the landscape and architecture of the places he visited in his atmospheric watercolours. Page also depicted figures in their national costume, examples of which were included in the lot. There were forty-two watercolours and fourteen ink and wash drawings in the lot, which drew heated bidding to soar above the £1,500-2,500 estimate. 

A second collection of 19th Century travel sketches depicting the Far East, this time by an unknown amateur hand, also sparked interest to sell at £4,000 (plus b.p.). Executed by a traveller aboard the East India Company ship ‘The Inglis’, it was one image in particular that elevated this lot from just a charming travelogue; a sketch of the first ordained Chinese Protestant minister - Liang Fa (1789-1855). Shown seated with his wife and grandson, Liang Fa had a far-reaching influence. Born into a poor family in the Guangdong Province, Liang Fa became the second Chinese convert, baptised by Protestant missionary Robert Morrison in 1814. Amongst a steadily growing congregation, Liang Fa became the first Chinese fully ordained Minister in 1827, and soon published his own tract ‘Good Words to Admonish the Age’ - which would have extraordinary consequences. Amongst its readers was Hong Xiuquan, a Christian convert who went on to found the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in Southern China in direct opposition to the Imperial State, and who claimed to be Christ’s younger brother. Hong Xiuquan and his followers rose up and attempted to overthrow the Qing Dynasty in what became the Taiping Rebellion - fourteen years of civil war which resulted in an estimated death toll of 20-30 million civilians and soldiers. 

Another item of note in the sale was a copy of Humphry Repton’s Designs for the Pavilion at Brighton. The volume contains his plans and designs for a redevelopment of the pavilion as a Mughal pleasure palace. Repton's genius was in marketing. He produced 'little red-books' to show landowners, and thus prospective customers, views of proposed projects. He would illustrate the current view on a flap, which could be lifted to reveal the proposed design - an easy way to show a client before and after comparisons of their houses. Repton was commissioned by the future George IV but the Prince ran out of money. It was partially realised by John Nash in 1814. The volume was sold for £4,200 (plus b.p.). 

The sale resulted in a total hammer price of £72,800 for 232 lots, with a 79% sold rate.