Blank Booklet Project

On June 15, 1979, book artist Fried Rosenstock wrote in a letter to Don Russell about the then upcoming Options in Independent Art Publishing conference:

“One of my proposals could be that you send out blank white booklets, all of the same format to some European artists, asking that they return them transformed into dummies or even in an original artist book. In this way you would already have a good idea on European alternative book production. I also include a list of European artists, who are very active in the alternative book or small press scene, to whom you could send these blank booklets…” 

Russell then sent out dozens of blank books with an enclosed letter translated into eight different languages: “We invite you to act upon the enclosed book and return it to us for the exhibition. We are very interested in seeing your work.” Many artists sent back to VSW modified books, decorated envelopes, and folded prints, the list including Cioni Carpi, Ulises Carrión, Corrado Costa, Robin Crozier, Timm Ulrichs, Pawel Petasz, Eggert Pétursson, Helgi Fríðjónsson, Tomasz Schulz, Jiri Valoch, and others. These envelope-sized, airmail paper books bound by a single saddle stitch exemplify the creative ingenuity and expressive potential of a simple blank book in the hands of an artist.

 

“I am thinking of you… what are you thinking?” (1979) by Robin Crozier (England)

 

[untitled book] (1979) by Corrado Costa (Italy)

 

“Original Art Documents from Schulz” and accompanying envelope sent to VSW (1979) by Tomasz Schulz (Poland)

 

Two-page spread from Tomasz Schulz’s book. The right page reads “DADA DADA DADA DADA Paleo or Neo…”

 

Four pages from Cioni Carpi’s (Italy) book. The pages read: “Cioni Carpi 1, to the Independent Art Publishing Conference Book Fir and Exhibition – Visual Studies Workshop; I’d really love to make a nice ART; I’d really love to make a nice ARTBOOK for you but I don’t have; I’d really love to make a nice ARTBOOK for you but I don’t have a moment to spare.”

 

“Artist’s Book” (1979) by Timm Ulrichs (Germany). Ulrichs included a note that reads: “That’s the rest of the book you have sent to me. I have used it/acted with it as a cigarette-paper.”

 

“Transparent” (1979) by Fried Rosenstock (Germany)

 

[untitled bookwork] (1979) by Helgi Fríðjónsson (Iceland). Captions read: “in the beginning he shot me with the power of his mind; and suddenly I became an angel”

 

 

Spine by Joan Lyons and Philip Zimmermann

To commemorate the conference, Joan Lyons and Philip Zimmermann printed Spine through VSW Press. The book is included in the Joan Lyons Independent Publishing Archive at VSW. Lyons says of the project: “Spine explores the descriptive language used to define the ‘body’ of the book. Having independently mused over jacket, headband, endsheet, bleed, gutter, signature, etc., Phil Zimmermann and I decided to collaborate on this piece.”

From the book: “Printed in an edition of 400 on Paloma Matte by Joan Lyons and Phil Zimmermann in October of 1979 in commemoration of the Independent Art Publishing Conference with presswork by Tom Sullivan at the Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester.”

 

Jacket and cover from “Spine” (1979) by Joan Lyons and Philip Zimmermann, from the Joan Lyons Independent Press Archive