Artists speak volumes at Devon Guild

This is a new exhibition of ten artists whose work goes 'beyond the book'. It runs from Saturday 5 April -Sunday 8 June at Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey, TQ13 9AF.

The Guild's curator Saffron Wynne worked with independent artist Su Blackwell, whose delicate 3-D book sculptures have featured in the Guardian, to help select work for the exhibition. They wanted to see what artists think about books, at a time when the printed page is being replaced increasingly by digital media and aspects of traditional crafts such as book-making are seen as out-dated and rare.

Most of them re-use old volumes in ways some might find controversial. For Samantha Huang ('Spring', right), pages and binding are the materials used to create her daring sculptures. Alexander Korzer-Robinson 'carves-up' stories found inside Boys Own annuals.

Visitors will surely experience something new in the paper architecture of Davy and Kristen McGuire whose pop-up 'Ice Book' combines digitally mapped projections with traditional,
delicate paper modelling. Jeremy May places rings and necklaces formed from laminated pages back into the holes he's cut out of books.

For these ten artists the book has inspired a new craft - it provides a medium and is the filter for their ideas. Co-curator, Saffron says 'By doing something new with a traditional object, for example recycling, we want people to consider the bigger issues of book production such as conservation, and potential loss of the book in our digital age.'

Additional events include a symposium at the University of Exeter (15 May) debating UK book art. Plymouth artist Maddy Pethick is running a hands-on workshop where old books will be transformed by folding, ripping, sticking and stitching, into fabulous sculptures. (31 May) There is a DIY paper jungle and make your own book activity in the gallery.
Exhibition is free, open 7 days a week, 10am-5.30pm

Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Riverside Mill, Bovey Tracey, Devon, England TQ13 9AF 01626 832223 www.crafts.org.uk

Image: S. Y. Huang; Title: Spring; Medium: secondhand books