History of Artist’s Book Creators Community

Artists-Book_Kestutis-Vasiliunas_Tea-Book

 EST. 1993

In 17th of August 1993 the First International Artist‘s Book Exhibition “Book” was opened in Lithuania, in the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius. The curator was Kestutis Vasiliunas. Since 1993, the Circle “Bokartas” organised more than 55 international artist’s book exhibitions, workshops, symposiums and lectures in Lithuania, Germany, Austria, Finland, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Sweden, The Netherlands, Denmark, France and U.S.

Celebrating 30th Year Anniversary

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What is an Artist’s Book?

Artist’s book represents a conceptual book, which from the beginning to the end is created by an artist. A book has a clearly expressed idea governing all its space. Using various artistic means an artist creates an artist’s book. Artist’s book is an integral work of art, joining a word and image, principles of a traditional book and free art. Artist’s books represent ordinary paper-made books, books-objects, artist’s book installations & video artist’s books. Artist’s book is either one-copy book or a book of limited, it is numbered and signed by the artist.

More about What is artist’s book and what is it not?

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Artist’s Book Triennial opened in Vilnius

History of Artist’s Book Creators Community

Artist’s Book Creators Community was created for artist’s book creators to share ideas and participate in collaborative art projects. Since 1993, the Circle “Bokartas” organised more than 50 international artist’s book exhibitions, workshops, symposiums and lectures in Lithuania, Germany, Austria, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, France and U.S.A. Many international world famous artists has been invited in Vilnius to read the lectures and to make the artist’s book and artist’s book-object workshops in Vilnius Academy of Arts. Artists from all over the world has been on the openings of the “International Artist’s Book Triennials”. Many of them returning for each opening of the Triennial – so we have big and beautiful family of artist’s book creators who meets each three years in Vilnius. And this Family of artists grows and grows. We work with our friends in Japan, USA and Australia for making collaborative projects together. We work closely with thousands of artists, artist’s book creators around the world and many art universities. Artist’s Book Creators Community connect professional artists into to one Art Family. We fascinated in an artist’s books and we organise the world famous “International Artist’s Book Triennial”. Together “we can” much more!

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Artist’s book creators on the first opening of the Triennial in Vilnius in 1997

History of the “International Artist‘s Book Triennial Vilnius”

The purpose of the “Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius” was to incite artists to create conceptual works. I wanted to provoke artists to create not only what they could and what they invented in their realm. While rejecting the „beautiful“ book conception as being snobbish and commercial, I wanted them to conceptually reflect on the given theme.

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Roberta Vaigeltaite, Lithuania

Artist’s Books in Lithuania

In Lithuania Artist‘s Book Exhibitions were initiated and organized in the last decade of the 20th century, when Lithuania restored her independence, left the formation of the USSR and regained freedom. In 1991 the first Artist‘s Book Exhibition in Lithuania was opened to the public. In 17th of August 1993 the First International Artist‘s Book Exhibition “Book” was opened in the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius – curator Kestutis Vasiliunas.

Lithuanian Artist’s Book Exhibitions:

1997 in the “Leipzig Book Fair“, in Germany;
1999 and 2000 in the “Frankfurt Art Fair” in Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
2002 in the “Frankfurt Art Fair” in Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
2002 in the “Frankfurt Book Fair” in Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
2003 in the “3. Norddeutsche Handpressenmesse”, in Hamburg, Germany;
2008 in the “5th Seoul International Book Arts Fair”, in Seoul, Korea;
2008 in the “2nd Seoung-Nam International Book Arts Fair”, in Seoul, Korea;
2016 “Artist’s Books from Lithuania“, “Museum der Arbeit”, Hamburg, Germany;
2016 “Lithuanian Artist’s Books, “13th Artist’s Book Biennial Horn”, Austria;
2017 “Artist’s Books of Lithuanian Professors“, “Leipzig Book Fair”, Germany;
2021 “Lithuanian Artist’s Books from the ‘Artist’s Book Triennials Vilnius’ “, Virtual Exhibition.

 

© Circle “Bokartas”, Kestutis Vasiliunas