Edinburgh’s annual celebration of artists’ book culture returns to the galleries for its 14th edition, and for the third year Artists’ Bookmarket runs in tandem with Edinburgh Zine Library who will be bringing their Zine Festival to Fruitmarket’s Warehouse.
Both events run over two weekend days with stalls laid out to showcase an array of work and is complemented by talks, events and workshops. Visitors come from across Scotland and beyond to make this date with artists’ books and artist led as well as DIY self-publishing.
During this year’s Artists’ Bookmarket, there will be an exhibition of work by artist Jane Hyslop. ‘The Oak Tree: a tribute to eternity’ shows original drawings and prints from her latest artist book project inspired by Virginia Woolf’s novel, Orlando. Spanning over 700 years The Oak Tree weaves historical and contemporary fact with fiction and marks the pivotal point at which we now find ourselves in the face of climate change and declining biodiversity.
Jane Hyslop will discuss her work in the busy talks programme alongside other artists and makers including Rachel Hazell aka The Travelling Bookbinder who launches her book Today’s Changing Room; Francis Day introducing Fevered Imagination, which helps book artists to present themselves online and Artists’ Bookmarket regular Barrie Tullett introducing his Four Second, Fairy Stories.
There’s a special focus on acclaimed photographer David Williams who talks about creating his book Dreaming Difference while Alan Mason discusses collaborating with Williams on the latest part of his long-form novel The Magazine. Fifthsyllable, a small press releasing artists books and editions discuss their work and artist’s led collaboration The Futures Past Coalition (FPC) will tell us about their latest publication, How Artists Make Decisions.
It is the 50th anniversary of Fruitmarket this year and books have always been at the heart of their programme. At Artists’ Bookmarket 2024 Deputy Director, Elizabeth McLean will discuss the work she does with artists and writers, she’ll talk about how the book form has endured over her 20 years of bookselling, designing and managing Fruitmarket’s publishing programme.
There are a number of workshops such as Japanese Bookbinding from Ciarrai Samson; Concrete Nature will support you to create your own artist’s book exploring the topic of slow living using collage; Jack Ravi unearths past stories and memories, binding found papers and photos onto a wooden bobbin; with Amy Sterly you’ll discover collage and folding techniques to create a small book with pockets to put your own images or stand-up characters in; and finally, with Jessica Crisp you will make one or two eco-printed pamphlets using plant dyes and a natural printing technique.
Add to this, Bookworks running four artist surgeries over the weekend, each 30–45 minute surgery is an opportunity for artists to discuss a new contemporary publishing project and its potential developments.
All this with over 40 stalls of artists, makers and publishers.
Listing information
Artists’ Bookmarket
Fruitmarket, 45 Market Street,
Edinburgh, EH1 1DF
Dates: 10th and 11th February 2024
Full information available at:
https://www.fruitmarket.co.uk/artists-bookmarket-2024/
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 