THOSE
TWO DARING PIRATES
Artists' book review by Jurate Sasnaitis
Poster Magazine, Issue eight, Customisation, autumn, 2005
Colour and texture, abstract script and poetic text, the control of
the printed process and the chaos of "the mark".
Books as objects of beauty in their own right is a notion generally
familiar only to designers, collectors of antiquaries and aficionados
of that esoteric item: the artists' book. Publisher George Matoulas
would argue that the object is not a book unless it contains some text
and is bound in some way, but judging from the variety of techniques,
media and forms represented in the collections of the State Library
of Victoria and the Mackay City Council, Queensland, his criteria has
been very loosely interpreted. Whilst 1316 and Those Two
Daring Pirates are in their ways both hands-on artist-based projects,
Matoulas's Lexicon House publishes limited edition illustrated books
in the classic European tradition of hand printed letterpress and fine
binding. Himself a painter, printmaker and master bookbinder, Matoulas
encourages a three way process between artist, writer and publisher/designer.
...
1316 has cultural connections to Rome, Wanderlust
to Berlin, and Those Two Daring Pirates to New Orleans. Of
the three, Those Two Daring Pirates uses the most contemporary
technology and is the most obviously personal. In fact it is Gracia
Haby and Louise Jennison's ninth book together in a partnership that
often involves members of their families helping to construct or contribute
to various aspects of their book making. Haby's connection to New Orleans
stems from her parents continued enthusiasm for the temporary home they
made there in the 1970s. Early last year she accompanied them on a nostalgic
return trip, while Jennison remained in Melbourne minding the fort and
collating the material Haby sent back. Those Two Daring Pirates
is a collage of family snaps, memorabilia, found recipes and the beautiful
drawings of flora and fauna which are signature Haby/Jennison.
Haby and Jennison met in art school, where both kept journals and made
book-like artworks. They continue to work on solo and joint book projects,
with other artists producing low-tech zines, and producing a range of
handmade journals which represent their foray into commercial enterprise.
Like all the artists mentioned, they have other jobs to augment an uncertain
income, and to allow them to put the proceeds from the sale of books
into new projects.
Which brings us to the vital question: why make books? They are expensive
to produce, labour intensive, and often take two or more years of the
artists' life. The answers are as varied as the artists, but one response
remains a constant: the seductive intimacy of the book. Of all art forms,
the book is one of the few which can be handled, caressed by hand and
eye. As a repository of thought and image, the book easily becomes an
addictive object of beauty.
Jurate Sasnaitis, 2005
Poster magazine
Gracia Haby & Louise Jennison
page
detail from the artists' book Those Two Daring Pirates
2005
