The Society of Wood Engravers (SWE), Printmaking Today and Liverpool Book Art are curating an international exhibition of artists’ books at Kirkby Gallery in Knowsley, Liverpool City Region to coincide with the 87th SWE Annual Exhibition. The exhibition will run from May until August 2025.
The title of the Exhibition is ‘Letting in the Light’. Relief printmaking techniques, such as wood engraving, are subtractive: every mark is white, you are letting in the light. Wood engravers have to think like photographers: “Where is the light source, where is the light falling?” This theme has been chosen to make the connection to the SWE exhibition. There are many similarities between book art and wood engraving. In both fields, artists create multiples in small editions, or unique works. In both, fine art is created with great technical skill, and can be denigrated as ‘craft’. In both too, self-publishing is the norm.
The call to participate is open to all forms of printmaking and bookmaking. They will accept proposals for work as well as existing works that fit the theme.
They invite all printmakers to tackle the creation of an artist’s book for this exhibition, and have this work exhibited alongside established (and new!) book artists. They also encourage established book artists to explore forms of printmaking as part of their submission. They will also accept existing works that fit the theme.
They are excited to explore the possibilities of parallels, exchange, and cross-over between artists working in book art and printmaking. In both these fields there are traditions (structures in book art, subject matter in wood engraving) as well as individuals exploring new possibilities in their respective fields, whether in terms of production techniques and technologies, subject matter or other aspects.
An unexpected approach or fresh expression of an idea will be judged favourably alongside technical skill.
Full details including submission process at https://www.curatorspace.com/opportunities/detail/letting-in-the-light-book-art-exhibition/8759