During the book Vancouver Art Book Fair, I picked up the latest zine by Vancouver based artist, Sonja Ratkay. The zine contains Ratkay’s abstract and empathetic illustrations:
The illustrations are so beautifully minimal and abstract. An eye unfolds into a machine and dreams deject the skull, and float off into the atmosphere.
For more info:
sonjaratkay.com
Image source: http://talonbooks.com/news/peace-in-duress-has-arrived
Tonight! Oct 9
Book launch at grunt gallery 7-9pm
116-350 East 2nd Ave, Vancouver
Writers Janet Rogers (Mohawk) and Chris Bose (N’laka’pamux) are releasing new poetry at the book launch this evening, where they will be reading excerpts from their books. Janet Rogers new collection of poetry is titled Peace in Duress, and she will be giving a spoken word performance at the event.
As quoted on the website (linked at the bottom of the event description):
“Poems drawing on the language of the earth and inflected with the
outspoken vocality of activism address the crises of modern land wars
environmental destruction, territorial disputes, and resource depletion.
This collection is confessional love, learned survival, ardent resistance,
and unique poetry that wants to be spoken (aloud). If poetry is medicine,
Peace in Duress is a cabinet full.”– Talonbooks, publisher.
Artist and writer Chris Bose is presenting a collection of non-fiction poems in his latest A Moon Made of Copper.
As quoted on the website (linked at the bottom of the event description):
“The poems were written while touring across Canada, and they capture
Bose’s experiences meeting people, wandering different cities, and getting
into adventures and mis-adventures. This is Bose’s second book since Stone
the Crow.” -Kegedonce, publisher.
Publications will be available to purchase at the event and authors will be in attendance.
http://grunt.ca/janetrogersandchrisbosepoetry/
Chris Bose reading at Two Story Cafe in Prince Albert, September 2014
Image source: http://www.paherald.sk.ca/News/Local/2014-09-17/article-3872778/Chris-Bose-kicks-off-the-Two-Story-Cafe/1
October 5
Scrivener’s Monthly at the Western Front with publisher/ typographer Will Holder (London) and musician Alex Waterman (New York) in the Western Front’s Grand Luxe Hall. Holder and Waterman launched their latest book Yes, But Is It Edible ? (New Documents, 2014), a scored biography of American composer Robert Ashley.
Will Holder and Alex Waterman rapped Ashley’s Opera Dust (1999) and Celestial Excursions (2003) in a rhythmic tone, that sounded like a beat-poetry a capella. The layout of the book demands multiple readers, and is perfect to bring friends together for a reading at a dinner party, the office, on the bus, or at the park. Try it – pick up the book from the Western Front and make friends with strangers while reading sections aloud.
Image source: http://front.bc.ca/events/will-holder-and-alex-waterman/
Oct 5 at 7pm
Western Front,
303 E 8th Avenue Vancouver
Tonight the Western Front will be celebrating its third season of Scrivener’s Monthly with publisher/ typographer Will Holder (London) and musician Alex Waterman (New York) in the Western Front’s Grand Luxe Hall. Holder and Waterman will be launching their new book Yes, But Is It Edible ? (New Documents, 2014), a scored biography of American composer Robert Ashley. The 800 page volume is the culmination of years of research and exploration of the musical migration of the English language across the American landscape.
Website description:
For this event, Will Holder and Alex Waterman will read and sing duets from Ashley’s operas Dust (1999) and Celestial Excursions (2003).
Scrivener’s Monthly is a series of public presentations that explore the space between material practices and spoken words: a periodical that talks. Set alongside the exhibitions program at Western Front, this experiment in “not publishing” involves readings, performances, and other articulations.
Co-presented by New Documents and the Vancouver Art Book Fair.
This evening FIELD Contemporary gallery celebrated its new artist bookstore (located within the gallery) with issue issue releases from Highway and Moniker Press.
The crisp and fresh Highway publication released its first issue tonight and aims to address contemporary culture though “artist collaborations, fragmentary fiction, cultural analysis, speculative futures, food-as-memory and experimental sound” (see website link). The publication has a hand made feel and features articles by Vanessa Brown, Sarah Pace, Hans Wendt, Natasha Young, Larissa Pham, Emma Tillman, Sea Oleena, Rommy Ghaly and Adrienne Matei!
Moniker Press presented its latest publication, Ends, compiled by Vancouver artist Erica Wilk. Ends is described as ” a collage of fragments; collected from conversations, interpretations, chat rooms, sketches, friends, strangers, memories, google, vandals, robots, break-ups, departed ones, found objects and secrets” (see website link). The zine is limited edition so get one fast! Moniker Press operates out of Vancouver and works collaboratively with artists and writers to produce small editions of books, zines and printed matter.
http://www.hwy-mag.com/
http://www.monikerpress.ca/
http://www.field-contemporary.com/
http://www.generosound.com/
Vancouver Art Book Fair presented by Project Space
October 4-5 at the Vancouver Art Gallery Annex, 750 Hornby Street.
Vancouver Art Book Fair website description:
Free and open to the public, the Vancouver Art/Book Fair is the only
international art book fair in Canada and one of only two on the West
Coast. In 2014 the event is anticipated to attract over 1,500 visitors from
across the Greater Vancouver Area and beyond.
Presented by Project Space, VA/BF is a two-day festival of artists
publishing featuring nearly one hundred local, national and international
publishers, as well as a diverse line-up of programs, performances and
artist projects. Featured artists travel to Vancouver from across Canada
and the globe, and produce everything from books, magazines, zines and
printed ephemera to digital, performative or other experimental forms of
publication.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3
Members Only Preview
Open to Members of Project Space and the Vancouver Art Gallery
Vancouver Art Gallery, Lobby & Annex, 750 Hornby St.
Friday, October 3, 6ââ¬â8pm
Memberships available at the door or http://www.projectspace.ca/memberships
VA/BF Reception
Free and open to the public
UNIT/PITT Projects, 236 E Pender St.
Friday, October 3, 9pm
Doubles as the launch of ISSUE Magazine, published by UNIT/PITT Projects
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4 & 5
Vancouver Art/Book Fair
Free and open to the public
Vancouver Art Gallery Annex, 750 Hornby St.
Saturday & Sunday, October 4 & 5, 12-5pm
Full schedule: http://www.vancouverartbookfair.com
VA/BF has been made possible through the generosity of the following
partners: Vancouver Art Gallery, City of Vancouver, Georgia Straight,
Downtown Vancouver BIA, Discorder, Foam, Sad Mag, Fillip, Geist, Ethical
Bean, The Keefer Bar, Bandidas Taqueria, Paper Pusher, Publishing @ SFU,
Modo and The Paper Hound.
For more information please contact: info@projectspace.ca
Vancouver Art/Book Fair | website | #VABF2013
Project Space | Facebook | Twitter
2 – 236 E Pender St
Vancouver BC V6A 1T7
For full description, schedule, events and exhibitors please visit the VA/BF Website:
Cavalier was the perfect setting for this event. If there were ever a pause in discussion, one could admire the beautiful diamond rings, watches and necklaces that were being displayed in glass vitrines .
Art Daily Vancouver 
