An exhibit of Artists’ books on the theme of INVISIBLE CITIES

TO BE HELD at CONSTELLATION STUDIO GALLERY, Lincoln, NE October- December 2016

We will be focusing an exhibition on artists books in October 2016, and wish to have new works and a new collaboration project. Please take part!

The concept is adopted from the novel by Italian writer Italo Calvino, Le citta invisibili, published in Italy in 1972. In Calvino’s story Marco Polo reports on cities across the empire that he purportedly has visited, to the emperor Kublia Khan. Organized in a mathematical structure (see Wikipedia entry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invisible_Cities ) Calvino’s descriptions are fantastical, of dream-like cities all named after women. Following each eleven descriptions, the two men discuss ideas brought forward by the tales such as notions of human nature and linguistics.

TWO OPTIONS FOR PARTICIPATING (OR BOTH):

1. Contribute a folio page for a new collaborative leporello book on the theme of Invisible Cities to be produced at Constellation Studios. This book will be for exhibition only and eventually donated to a museum or library artists’ book collection. Production of this book will be undertaken following this show, but all folio pages will be exhibited unbound. See specs below*.

2. Submit a unique or editioned hand-made book or folio on this theme. Maximum size 20” x 20” closed. These books/ folios may be for sale or for exhibition only. Please send reuseable packing, address label and postage for their return.

*SPECS FOR OPTION #1, COLLABORATIVE ARTISTS BOOK:

Paper size: 8” x 8” museum quality (rag) art paper (weight as in arches’rives 250gm 22×30 sheet), with grain of paper vertical. { 20.3cm x 20.3cm} Each sheet will be folded in half on the vertical axis to make a folio, with the art image on the inside….nothing on the bask side of paper, only 1 side is need. Paper should be sturdy, and with cut edges on all 4 sides….no deckles, no border (make art to edges of paper)

USE any technique, traditional or experimental (no pop-outs), visual, literary or mixed such as: woodcut, etching, letterpress, screenprint, lithograph, photo, digital, ink drawing, watercolor, Chine collé, collage (with thin materials) etc. Make art stable with spray fixative if needed.
Include a title, and signature on the front of each folio in the image

For all participating artists:

Send confirmation of intent to participate to karen@constellation-studios.net by September 20, 2016!! Deadline Extended
Submit artwork by October 1, 2016
Send along a short biography (200 words max) of artist, and contact info
Send folio page &/or bookwork to:

Constellation Studios

2055 ‘O’ Street

Lincoln, NE 68510

USA

This new project is in response to Metropolis, a similar worldwide collaborative book that will be shown at Constellation Studios in October! 300 artists took part. See this info and video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fREObY60_vY

http://www.italianculturalsociety.org/metropolis-an-artists-book-with-303-prints-by-303-artists-from-17-countries/