Tom Sowden

Publications

Surplus to Requirement: Book Arts project publication

Tom Sowden was invited to curate a selection of Bristol-based book artists’ works

for a collaborative project with the Righton Press group at Manchester Metropolitan University. Each artist produced a page to print, and a ‘sketch’ page on the theme of Surplus to Requirement.

In Manchester the group worked around an unused herbarium collection, and in Bristol, works were made around a collection of books rescued from Bookbarn.

The book is being edited, printed and published in an edition of 250 by the Righton Press and will be launched at The London Art Book Fair at Whitechapel 25-27 September 2010.

Dates 25-27.09.2010 | For more information visit the book fair website

A Manifesto for the Book

Download the colour 187 pp publication at A Manifesto for the Book, which contains our statement for a manifesto, and an edited selection of interviews, essays, presentations, case studies, and some ABTREEs from the project What will be the canon for the artist’s book in the 21st Century?
If you prefer to have a hard copy of the publication, we have made it available in black and white print, at cost as a Print-on-Demand book at lulu.com: A Manifesto for the Book-Hard copy

Artists' Book Yearbook 2010-2011

An interview with Dmitry Sayenko on his hand-printed books and the state of book arts in Russia; An interview with L. Vandergrift Davala, discussing how interactive digital technologies can be used in the production of book works; Banu Cennetoglu on the project space BAS for artists’ books in Istanbul; John Bently explores his favourite post-apocalyptic literature.

Artists’ pages by: Gracia Haby & Louise Jennison, Jordan Evans-Viney, Hanne Matthiesen, Paul Laidler, Ado Hamelryck, Julie Johnstone, Lucy Harrington, Mark Addison Smith, Tina Hill, Tony White and Radoslaw Nowakowski.

Listings sections of international book activity: publishers, organisations, presses, studios, collections, galleries, bookshops, journals, reference books, design, print and bind services, fairs and festivals, competitions and events.

Listings from over 170 artists making books in the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, Russia, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Cyprus, Australia, Turkey, Croatia, Lithuania, Norway, Estonia, Romania, Cuba, and many more countries…

The Blue Notebook: a journal for artists' books

The journal is published in two formats: an electronic colour version to be accessed at any time online, and a paper, black and white version. Subscription covers both formats at £10 GBP per annum - UK and international. Written contributions are peer-reviewed by an international panel which includes: Susan Johanknecht, Maria Fusco, Jeff Rathermel, Ulrike Stoltz and Paulo Silveira.

We welcome submissions of writing on contemporary artists’ books for The Blue Notebook, if you need any info or have any questions, please contact Sarah.Bodman@uwe.ac.uk

Artist's page contributions are at the invitation of the art editor, Tom Sowden.
Please see the submission guidelines for written contributions.

Follow-ed

Author: Sowden, T.
Publication: The Bonefolder, Volume 6, Number 1
Publisher: Syracuse University Library
Date: 09.2009
ISsN: 1555-656 pp. 15-18
URL Links: www.philobiblon.com

Abstract:
From Sowden’s own practice of producing artists’ books in homage to Ed Ruscha, he has been curating and collecting works and preparing for a touring exhibition Follow-ed. Sowden is currently working with Linda Newington at Winchester School of Art Library and Maria White at Tate Britain to develop a touring exhibition launching in January 2011.

Maria White has also invited him to speak at the conference she is organising in tandem at Tate Britain in January 2011 on the books of Ed Ruscha and artists who have made books in tribute to his works. The Bonefolder article discusses his research into these books since 2007.

Scott’s Flight: Migrating East

Author: Bodman, Sarah and Sowden, Tom
Publisher: Conference: 4th round of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Biennale for the Artist’s Book at The Bibliotheca Alexandrina Arts Center
Date: 04-05.2010
URL Links:http://www.bibalex.org/english

Abstract:
Sarah Bodman and Tom Sowden were invited to make a collaborative book 'Scott’s Flight: Migrating East' a unique reconfigured book, cut with figures of Ospreys for the 4th round of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Biennale for the Artist’s Book at The Bibliotheca Alexandrina Arts Center from 22 April to 25 May 2010. “Nomadic Cultures” was chosen as a theme for this round, a theme considered by the Italian Art theorist Achille Bonito Oliva – coiner of the term ‘transavantgarde’—as an essential element of any transavantgarde artist.

General commissioners of the Biennale are artists Fernanda Fedi and Gino Gini. The exhibition, curated by Fernanda Fedi and Gino Gini, Alexandria, Egypt, includes 46 artists from 25 countries and runs from 22 April until 14 May 2010. The artefacts will remain in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Arts Center to enrich its permanent Artist's Book collection.

Ø - Cherry Blossom Island Tree

Author/Co Author: Sowden, T. Bodman, S.
Publisher: Impact PRess
Date: 9.5.2009
URL Links: http://artistbooks.ning.com/video/oe-cherry-blossom-island-tree
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlPHbK0qz4E
http://www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/dendov09.htm

Abstract:
A collaborative artist’s book by Sarah Bodman and Tom Sowden was exhibited at Doverodde Book Arts Festival, Doverodde, Denmark, Saturday 9th May 2009, with the production of the book en-route documented as a collaborative video work available to view on the UWE Book Arts website – along with the talks and information sheets.