De Appel Arts Centre: the Book Lovers 4.0 Pop-up Bookstore dedicated exclusively to artist novels / Opening 28 January / Curated by David Maroto (DAI, 2013) and Joanna Zielinska
28 Jan — 2 Feb 2014
de Appel Arts centre
Opening: 28 February 6:00 - 9:00 pm
The Book Lovers presents the first (pop-up) bookstore specialized in artists' novels. The bookstore is hosted by de Appel arts centre and run by Buchhandlung Walther König. For the first time the novels are not only on display for public perusal, but also available for sale, in this way fulfilling the public dimension inherent to the novel format. With titles available for purchase by: Alex Cecchetti, Eric Doeringer, Matias Faldbakken, Rodney Graham, Mark Geffriaud, Liam Gillick, Stewart Home, Jana Leo, Jill Magid, Heather & Ivan Morison, Brian O'Doherty, Cally Spooner, Katrina Palmer, Mai-Thu Perret, David Robbins, Julia Weist, and many others.
In addition to this, the full collection of artists' novels is on display, thanks to the generous support of MuHKA (Museum of Contemporary Art in Antwerp). The collection is arranged according to genres, from Science-fiction to Pornography, by way of Autobiography, Drama, Gothic, Künstlerroman, Detectives, and many more. You can follow the colour-coded legend to guide yourself through the collection. It includes novels written by: Carl Andre, AA Bronson, De Chicico, Keren Cytter, Salvador Dalí, Tim Etchells, Goldin+Senneby, Rodney Graham, Renée Green, Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, Pablo Helguera, Joseph Kosuth, Yayoi Kusama, Jana Leo, Jill Magid, Tom McCarthy, Brian O'Doherty, Mai-Thu Perret, Richard Prince, Roee Rosen, Kurt Schwitters, Lindsay Seers, Alexandre Singh, Oscar Tuazon, Andy Warhol... a total of 315 titles. An iPad is available to explore The Book Lovers artists' novels database, probably the first one ever made, and also hosted by MuHKA.
There is an accompanying public programme of presentations and performances that is taking place at the bookstore itself.
Opening 28 January 6:00 - 9:00 pm Free entrance
On 28 January, 7:00 pm Jaap Blonk, avant-garde composer and performance artist, reads an excerpt from Guy de Cointet's novel Espahor Ledet Ko Uluner! The evening continues with the performance A New Refutation of Time (8.00 pm), by Mark Geffriaud, artist and author of the novel The Curve of Forgotten Things.
On 1 February, 12 noon - 9 pm, The Book Lovers prject presents Simultaneous, a performance by Heman Chong: artist, curator and writer, co-author of the novel PHILIP. Realized by Eveliina Petäjäaho and Riikka Thitz.
The Book Lovers is a systematic attempt to study the phenomenon of artists' novels, curated by David Maroto and Joanna Zielinska. The central question in this research is whether a literary genre like the novel can be considered a medium in its own right within the visual arts, as video or installation could be. There have been artists throughout the 20th century who wrote novels as an activity more or less detached from their visual art production. However, in recent years an increasing number of artists have begun to integrate their novels as a fundamental part of their visual art projects. Surprisingly, there is a lack of research on this subject. This circumstance gives rise to a situation in which artists who write novels are not aware of others doing the same. The project is developing in a number of different stages. Its base is the creation of a collection of artist novels with a parallel online database, which is complemented with a series of exhibitions and public programmes, a pop-up bookstore and a publication.
Opening hours:
Tuesday 28 January
6.00 – 9.00 pm Opening
Wednesday - Friday, 29 - 31 January
10.00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 1 February
noon – 9.00 pm
Sunday 2 February
10.00 am – 6:00 pm
In collaboration with Buchhandlung Walther König, Stedelijk Museum Store, Amsterdam
Space design by Benjamin Roth
Curated by David Maroto and Joanna Zielinska
