Bound Art Book Fair 2018

For its second edition, Bound Art Book Fair 2018 paid particular attention to the press as a political and pedagogical tool. In an age of online activism, we championed artists and activists developing pamphlets and print ephemera with renewed urgency, and politically-engaged projects that employed print as a vital component of their output. We examined ways in which the stories and struggles of working people have been manifest in print form, and the ways the material qualities, processes and legacies of print activism have influenced contemporary artists and artworks. We also looked at recent publishing projects that give voice to marginalised communities or confront present injustices.

This year we also hosted an open call for proposals for a project in collaboration with the Working Class Movement Library, Salford. We sought proposals for a display incorporating a selection of objects or titles from the WCML collection with new or existing work by the artist. This was not limited to the print form; we welcomed a range of media and were especially interested to see experimental and innovative approaches to synthesising historical material with new forms. The selected artist was Aaron Guy, who was offered a booked space in the WCML Reading Room with the assistance of a specialist Librarian with extensive knowledge of the collection over a number of days, along with a stipend of £1,000 to cover all expenses related to the project, and an artist’s fee of £500. Aaron's installation was exhibited in the Whitworth's galleries throughout the weekend, and the fair closed with a performance piece featuring Aaron and percussionist Holly Carter.