We are excited to announce the next Guild of Book Workers traveling exhibition, “WILD/LIFE.”
The period to submit your Intent to Enter has now closed. For those who have registered, emails will be sent with a link to the online submission form/ artist statement and bio, important dates, and where to send your final entries. For any questions, or to request the link to the submission form please contact Lizzie at Exhibitions@guildofbookworkers.org. Submission forms and mailed in entries will be due by March 22, 2021.
All current Guild members are invited to participate in this juried exhibition that will travel to venues across the country from Summer 2021 to Fall 2022. In a biological sense, wildlife describes the myriad of creatures sharing this planet, interacting and adapting, all connected to each other and their environment. "Wild" also describes an untamable essence that survives despite the constraints of society and culture. As craftspeople, knowledge of materials and keen observation of how they behave (and often how they refuse to comply) is integral to our practice; reminders of how traditional bookbinding materials originate in nature. Members are invited to interpret the theme of “wildlife” in any way they wish, be it literal or abstract, humorous or serious.
Here are some dates to keep in mind:
March 1-22, 2021: All work needs to arrive at NEDCC between these dates, but no later than Monday the 22nd.
April 1, 2021: Participants informed of jury decision.
June 1, 2021: Show opens at first venue TBD
Jurying
An Intent to Enter form must have been completed in order to submit work for consideration. All work needs to be shipped in time to arrive between March 1, 2021 and March 22nd, 2021, but no later than Monday March 22nd, 2021. Information on where to send your work will sent closer to the due date. Work will then be juried by Denise Carbone, Erin Fletcher and Jessica Spring, and artists will be notified of selection in April 2021.
Protective Boxes
All works must be submitted in a custom fitted clamshell box, preferably with double walls. Broadsides must be framed and ready to hang using robust frames (metal preferred) with plexiglass (no glass).Size LimitationsBooks in their protective enclosures may not be larger than 22” square and 12” thick. Flat or 2D work may not be larger than 24” square, framed and housed in its protective enclosure. Sizes are restricted to fit within the Guild’s professional shipping containers. The GBW Exhibitions Committee may disqualify works too fragile, difficult to display, or too heavy to handle safely. We regret that we cannot accept work that requires electricity. If applicable, installation instructions should be provided with unique or unusual entries.
Insurance
Each exhibition site will be responsible for insuring the works while in its custody. All entrants are asked to carefully consider values assigned and must be prepared to support this value in the event a claim is made. We ask that assigned values do not exceed $2000. All works will be photographed and condition noted upon receipt. Exhibition Duration The show will open in summer 2021 and travel to a variety of book arts centers and libraries. Once a work has been selected, it must remain in the show for the full duration. Participants should inform the Exhibitions Chair of any changes of address or other contact information while the show is in progress.
Publicity
GBW may photograph and use images of all accepted works for promotional purposes related to the Guild and the WILDLIFE exhibition. This includes a fully illustrated print and online catalog. Catalog GBW will produce a full color printed catalog with photographs and descriptions of each accepted work, as well as biographies of the artists. All exhibition participants will receive a complimentary copy of the printed catalog. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the catalog fundraiser. A note on social media: in order to keep the jurying process fair and blind, we kindly ask that entrants refrain from posting their submission, either in progress or finished, on social media platforms until they are informed of the jury’s decision.