'PRESS & RELEASE' is celebration of artists' books and independent publishing, showcasing an intriguing selection of UK and international artists, with work ranging from the profane to sublime.  The exhibition provides an opportunity to encounter a range of visions arising out of the world of artists’ books within an imaginative, improvised space dedicated to revealing the artist’s book in a new light. 

Sculptor Ben Thomson has completely transformed the gallery space into an environment housing the work of individual artists and publishers, presenting books and related ephemera outside the conventional glass case. 

The show includes over 30 individual artists and groups, with an emphasis on limited edition, hand-made work that stretches the parameters of printmaking, mixed media and other approaches, to arrive at highly original and inventive permutations of the book format.  Ranging from underground comics to journals, pop-ups, posters, web-based pieces, installations and gate crashers, the work provides a glimpse into the dense and multifaceted world of self-publishing.

Highlights includes John Dilnot’s cabinet of curiosities, hand-cut pages from Kaho Kojima and Chisato Tamabayashi, Batool Showghis’ family albums, Paul Clarke’s gothic childerns’ stories, Mark Pawson’s low-tech hi-fi multiples, Mayan women’s collective Taller Leñateros, and installations by Nicola Dale, found sound duo reassemble, and collaborative trio Borbonesa. The special line up of artists also includes: Frans Baake, Peter Chasseaud, Young-Ju Choi, Karen Constance, Roz Cran, Ann D’Arcy Hughes, Jeff Keen, Lotte Little, Angela McKay, David Miles, Dylan Nyoukis, Oddstock Books, Redfoxpress, Monica Ross, Jim Sanders, Lucy May Schofield, Jonathan Swain, Carolyn Trant and Weproductions. In the south gallery, Alasdair Willis scours cyberspace for self-publishing pioneers and rogues, and fills the walls with his discoveries. Books and other publications are for sale in the exhibition through the Permanent Gallery Bookshop.

Special guests include Le Dernier Cri, an artists’ publishing house in Marseille that generates beautiful and intense, often disturbing limited-edition books, prints, and animations from European, American, Japanese and South American artists. 

They are joined by Knust, an artists’ collective from Nijmegen, Netherlands which employs a unique stencil (mimeograph) printing process and champions some inventive ways of producing books, posters, cd’s and wallpaper.

NOTICE:  Some of the imagery in this exhibition is not suitable for children, and therefore a small area of the gallery will have restricted access.  Elsewhere, children are very welcome but should be supervised by an adult, as many of the books can be handled but are fragile.

Visitors are encouraged to linger in the gallery and take part in a number of special associated activities:

PHOENIX GALLERY TALK
Sat 26 Apr 2pm
Phoenix Gallery, FREE.
An opportunity to meet Caroline Sury and Pakito Bolino from Le Dernier Cri, and Joyce Guley and Jan Dirk de Wilde from Knust.  An informal presentation on these two organisations with an international underground reputation more..

SCREENING & PERFORMANCE
Sat 26 Apr 8 pm
Westhill Hall, Compton Avenue, Brighton
Tue 29 Apr 8 pm
ICA, London
“Les Religions Sauvages”

Produced at Dernier Cri, the film features a series of short animations by various artists..  Billed as a cult film, it “...tube-feeds its audience a horrific diet of sin, visual saintliness, torture, twisted pitch black humour and perversion for initiated eyes”  Pakito Bolino and others will perform a live improvised soundtrack. 
Westhill Hall, Brighton £5/£3 conc.
ICA, London £10/£9 conc.
ICA box office:  020 7930 3647
Not suitable for under 18’s.. 

THE CRITICAL INCIDENT
Tues 13 May, 10 am – 6pm
Phoenix + other venues around Brighton
A day and night of challenging, practical conversations, workshops and events about artistry, innovation, insight, imagination and challenging collusions of mediocrity.
£25/£20 concessions.
Details & booking: www.thecriticalincident.com

BEFORE WRITING: Self-Publishing Workshops
3 Sundays 18 & 25 May, 1 Jun, 1 - 5 pm
Phoenix
Introduces low-budget, practical techniques for creating the vehicles through which an idea can be made public. Covers making booklets and printed material, web-based communication, and performance.
Run by Bookville: Graeme Walker & Maggie Tran
Per session:  £5/£3 concessions
Advance registration required. Download form
Suitable for ages 18+.

Kaho Kojima