Current Exhibition

The Austin/Burch Gallery
SFCB has mounted over 70 book arts related exhibitions since its inception in 1996, ranging from collections or group works to individual retrospectives featuring local, national and international book artists in our Austin/Burch gallery. Named for our co-founders Mary Austin and Kathleen Burch, this 1,400 square foot exhibition space is adjacent to our print and bindery studios, creating the perfect environment for visitors to see both works in progress and fully realized art work. We have also presented exhibitions at off-site venues including the Commonwealth Club, ODC Dance Theatre at Project Artaud and the Marin Community Center.
Exhibition Opportunities:
Proposals are accepted on an ongoing basis. Unsolicited proposals will not be returned without a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Review can take up to 12 weeks. Artists and organizations interested in exhibition opportunities at SFCB can send proposals to: Exhibitions, SFCB, 300 De Haro, Street Ste. 334, San Francisco, CA 94103
From June 1, 2012 in the Austin Burch Gallery
SAN FRANCISCO CENTER FOR THE BOOK (SFCB) IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE EXPLODING THE CODEX EXHIBITION
Exhibition runs June 1-August 31, 2012
Gallery Hours 10:00 am- 5:00 pm Monday-Friday, Saturday 12-4pm
Free and open to the public
SFCB is proud to announce its summer exhibition in the Austin/Burch Gallery, Exploding the Codex, a group show featuring the works of over 40 book artists from the collection of Mary Austin, curated by Daisy Carlson. The show explores the theater of the book and storytelling through structure. These books go beyond the traditional format to unveil new ways of presenting and telling stories. Often theatrical or stage-like in their presentation, they pull the viewer into their individual dramas and diverse varieties of form and presentation.
The exhibition explores the ways in which a book's size and dimensions determine our relationship to it and what it is trying to tell us. One can choose between the intimacy of a tiny journal, private and curious, easily hidden as if keeping a secret between reader and teller; or we may choose to be awed by a ceremoniously large book that engages us in alto, the spine boasting of a grand celebration. The size, structure, and shape are the book's octave.
Exploding the Codex explores information and presentation: in our lifetime, we have seen an incredible change in the way information is presented. As information becomes digitized, our relationship to information and access is evolving. The form of information is a large part of how we interpret the story. Despite the proliferation of digital information, there will always be room in our lives for theater, and for the privacy of the printed word and the luxury of paper between our fingertips. Books are monuments to consciousness and begin collective conversations that evolve our culture and our perception of ourselves in the world. As the Codex explodes so does our perception of our place in the world.

EXPLODING THE CODEX LIGHTNING TALKS
Lightning Talks/ Friday/ July 27/ 6-8pm/ FREE

Each of the exhibition artists listed below, along with collector Mary Austin and curator Daisy Carlson, will each speak for 5 minutes about their work in the exhibition, followed by general discussion and a walk-through of the show. The exhibition catalog will be available for purchase.

Featured artists:
Rhiannon Alpers, Specimen Series: Metamorphosis Numbers Four & Nine
Ed Baskauskas, Colander Calendar
Julie Chen, Memento, The Veil, True to Life
Marie C. Dern, Winter Orchard
Bettina Pauly, Tunnel Book
Seiko Tachibana, Egg
Katherine Venturelli, Lunar Journey

Show Events

Once in a Blue Moon Cocktail Party 
Friday, August 31st, 2012   6:00-8:00 PM

Lightening Talks 
Friday, July 27th, 2012   6:00-8:00 PM

What is a "lightning talk"?

Each of the artists listed below, along with collector Mary Austin and curator Daisy Carlson,
will each speak for less than 5 minutes about how their overall work informs their artists' book in the exhibition, followed by general discussion and a walk-through of the entire exhibition.

The exhibition catalog will be available for purchase.

EXPLODING THE CODEX: The Theater of the Book
from the collection of Mary K. Austin | Daisy Carlson, curator
is at the San Francisco Center for the Book through August 31, 2012

LIGHTNING TALK ARTISTS:
Rhiannon Alpers, Specimen Series: Metamorphosis Numbers Four & Nine
Ed Baskauskas, Colander Calendar
Julie Chen, Memento, The Veil, True to Life
Marie C. Dern, Winter Orchard
Bettina Pauly, Tunnel Book
Seiko Tachibana, Egg
Katherine Venturelli, Lunar Journey

EXPLODINGTHECODEX

Showing June 1 - August 31 2012 

15 JUNE ARTISTS RECEPTION 6 - 8 PM

Selections from the collection of Mary Austin beyond traditional codex, curated by Daisy Carlson.  

Showing artist's books, which are sculptural in nature.
 Come and discover story in structure and design beyond the boundary of the traditional page turning Codex. 
Thank you for joining us at the opening on June 15th celebrating the art of the book. 
The opening was a huge success. What a joy to see many of the artists mingling in the crowd.  Mary Austin also comment on the the art of collecting books of living artists. 
~

Special Unlimited Editions Donor circle 13 Jun 6 - 8 PM

At the home of Penny Nii and Ed Feigenbaum

1750 Taylor Street, San Francisco 

With special installation by Jody Alexander and Mary Heebner. 

~ 

"Lightning Talks" with Exploding the Codex Book Artists 27 JULY 6 - 8 PM
At SF center for the book, 300 De Haro
RSVP SFCB

 

Immortality     Joan Ingoldsby Brown

Ghost Diary     Maureen Cummins

Black Torah     Robbin Ami Silverberg

Photography by Charlie Byrne

The Austin/Burch Gallery
SFCB has mounted over 70 book arts related exhibitions since its inception in 1996, ranging from collections or group works to individual retrospectives featuring local, national and international book artists in our Austin/Burch gallery. Named for our co-founders Mary Austin and Kathleen Burch, this 1,400 square foot exhibition space is adjacent to our print and bindery studios, creating the perfect environment for visitors to see both works in progress and fully realized art work. We have also presented exhibitions at off-site venues including the Commonwealth Club, ODC Dance Theatre at Project Artaud and the Marin Community Center.
Exhibition Opportunities:
Proposals are accepted on an ongoing basis. Unsolicited proposals will not be returned without a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Review can take up to 12 weeks. Artists and organizations interested in exhibition opportunities at SFCB can send proposals to: Exhibitions, SFCB, 300 De Haro, Street Ste. 334, San Francisco, CA 94103
From June 1, 2012 in the Austin Burch Gallery
SAN FRANCISCO CENTER FOR THE BOOK (SFCB) IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE EXPLODING THE CODEX EXHIBITION
Exhibition runs June 1-August 31, 2012
Gallery Hours 10:00 am- 5:00 pm Monday-Friday, Saturday 12-4pm
Free and open to the public
SFCB is proud to announce its summer exhibition in the Austin/Burch Gallery, Exploding the Codex, a group show featuring the works of over 40 book artists from the collection of Mary Austin, curated by Daisy Carlson. The show explores the theater of the book and storytelling through structure. These books go beyond the traditional format to unveil new ways of presenting and telling stories. Often theatrical or stage-like in their presentation, they pull the viewer into their individual dramas and diverse varieties of form and presentation.
The exhibition explores the ways in which a book's size and dimensions determine our relationship to it and what it is trying to tell us. One can choose between the intimacy of a tiny journal, private and curious, easily hidden as if keeping a secret between reader and teller; or we may choose to be awed by a ceremoniously large book that engages us in alto, the spine boasting of a grand celebration. The size, structure, and shape are the book's octave.
Exploding the Codex explores information and presentation: in our lifetime, we have seen an incredible change in the way information is presented. As information becomes digitized, our relationship to information and access is evolving. The form of information is a large part of how we interpret the story. Despite the proliferation of digital information, there will always be room in our lives for theater, and for the privacy of the printed word and the luxury of paper between our fingertips. Books are monuments to consciousness and begin collective conversations that evolve our culture and our perception of ourselves in the world. As the Codex explodes so does our perception of our place in the world.

EXPLODINGTHECODEX explores the theater of the book & storytelling through structure. Like alternative theater, these books go beyond the traditional format to unveil new ways of presenting and telling stories. Often theatrical or stage-like in the way they are presented to the world, they pull their readers and audiences into their individual dramas. This collection has a fascinating variety of form and presentation as well as, revealing a new way to see our relationship with information. 

A book's size and dimensions determine our relationship to it and what it is trying to tell us. One can choose between the intimacy of a tiny journal, private and curious, easily hidden as if keeping a secret between reader and teller; or we may choose to be awed by a ceremoniously large book that engages us in alto, the spine boasting of a grand celebration. The size, structure, shape, are the book's octave.

The Codex was invented two millennium ago, with two-sided, turn-able pages made from flexible parchment or paper, hinged to a spine and protected by a sturdy cover. It was quickly seen to give the ability to provide quick, random access to information, and thus replaced the oft-decayed, stiff papyrus scroll which presented a continuous information format.

In our lifetime, we have seen an incredible change in the way information is presented. As information becomes digitized our relationship changes based on the way we access it. The form that information is delivered is a big part of how we interpret the story. I believe there will always be room in our lives for theater, and always room in our lives for the privacy of the printed word and the luxury of paper between our fingertips. Books are monuments to consciousness and begin collective conversations that evolve our culture, and our perception of our selves in the world.

What I love about this show is how it surprises us by tickling our expectations and expanding our possibilities for theater in everyday life.  May our conversations continue to expand.

-Daisy Carlson

About the Collector

Mary Austin has been a supporter and advocate for printing and the Book Arts for over 30 years. As the first Curator and Assistant Director of the Museum of Printing History in Houston, Austin fell in love with the diverse forms of printing. She moved to San Francisco in the mid 80's and began work with the Printing Industries of Northern California.

In 1989 she started the Underground Press and in 1996 she co-founded the San Francisco Center for the Book. The Center has been an outlet for many local and international print-makers and artists to come and teach, as well as, learn the various forms involved in bookmaking.

The collection that Austin has amassed is strongest in the area of alternative book structures. It ranges from flag books, scrolls, accordion and carousel structures, to book objects & altered books.Austin currently sits on the Board at the SFCB and she is an active member of many local printmaking and book organizations. When it comes to the topic of the book in all its forms, Mary Austin is not only an advocate for educating the world on these fascinating structures; she is a connoisseur.

About the Exhibition Curator

Daisy Carlson founded Daisy Arts in 1992 to support the integrity of hand made Italian crafts and book making arts in retail markets. Her designs have been sold in major department stores and museums around the world. Carlson's focus has always been to produce timeless product that will last for generations. Her family and wedding albums are a staple in Hollywood. Her work is in the homes of most stars, at least three presidents and several sheiks. Her journals have inspired the melodies of artists from Graham Nash to Train. She has designed product for the The Uffizi, Florence; Vatican Secret Archives, Rome; The Tate, London; The Met, NY; The Getty, Los Angeles. The integrity of handmade albums and journals is always a central part of her retail collections.

Carlson's concern for the state of the environment and the paramount importance of solving climate challenges have led her to develop a retail model that supports fair-trade initiatives and deep systems sustainable development. She stresses the importance of achieving carbon neutrality in commerce and manufacturing. Her product offerings are currently marketed under the name BeDeLightful. She has recently founded Root For Peace a non profit that supports school gardens through the sale of California native plants.

Carlson has also produced a film and published several photo essays on the plight of children in East Africa. She hopes to clarify the connection between climate issues and sustainable development and our retail markets here. "Aid matters, the type of aid matters more. We can end hunger in our lifetime with a robust carbon market that supports deep system sustainable development." If you would like to have a conversation or help in these issues please feel free to contact Miss Carlson at daisy@bedelightful.com

Special thanks to
  
Kathleen Burch (co-founder, SFCB) for her endless energy, fantastic exhibition typography
and graphic design.

Enjoy the Show!