New Voices - A multi-component project introducing the heterogeneous field of artists’ books to new and diverse groups of artists and audiences, facilitating development for emerging practitioners, particularly of BAME origins.
- Submitting institution
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The University of Leeds
- Unit of assessment
- 32 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
- Output identifier
- UOA32-4729
- Type
- M - Exhibition
- Venue(s)
- The Tetley, Leeds; ROAR, Rotherham; Doncaster Art Gallery & Museum; The Cooper Gallery, Barnsley.
- Open access status
- -
- Month of first exhibition
- -
- Year of first exhibition
- 2019
- URL
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- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
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- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
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- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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48
- Research group(s)
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- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- Funded by Arts Council England, the multi-component project, New Voices (A/B) introduced the heterogeneous field of artists’ books to new and diverse groups of artists and audiences, facilitating development for emerging practitioners, particularly of BAME origins.
The project consisted of an integrated programme of public facing events including exhibitions, workshops, surgeries and talks. At its core, I commissioned three artists’ books (2-4), and acquired 30 works from participants of the PAGES Artists’ Book Fair forming a unique touring collection (5), exhibited at three locations in South Yorkshire highlighted by ACE as having ‘low arts engagement’: Rotherham, Doncaster, Barnsley.
The commissions allowed three artists to create accessible, editioned artefacts with wide distribution potential; selected for their breadth of social/political interests and open to their practice being challenged through the medium of the book, each developing a publication with the guidance of professional mentors. These encompassed structural racism (Buxton); a guide for women of colour to navigate the art world (Noor), and tensions between freedom of information/protection of intellectual property (Hutchinson).
Correspondingly, I critiqued the work of Sri-Lankan born artist-bookmaker, Sumi Perera (D), for her approach to personal social and political concerns, as well as its participatory nature in its making/installation, re-configuring her work on several occasions as part of the Highlights Rural Touring exhibition, Craft+Conflict (E), which focused on the global issues of war and human displacement. This was presented to migrant and rural communities, school and public audiences in venues across the North of England.
The touring displays, curator/artists’ talks (6) and handling sessions allowed a tactile and cognitive negotiation of the book’s structure – an interactive experience particular to this medium – initiating conversations between artist/curator/visitor encouraging engagement and understanding, and identifying the next generation of artists to develop and maintain the medium’s relevance, vitality and purpose.
- Author contribution statement
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- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
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