The Silent Scream: Political and Social Comment in Books by Artists

Description

The Silent Scream: Political and Social Comment in Books by Artists is not only a catalogue but a view into some of humanity’s darkest moments seen through the books of artists who have pushed a humanism that tries to save us from ourselves. Reaching back to William Blake with a facsimile of his illuminated book America: A Prophecy it travels through the two world wars and on to the modern era. Divided into historical eras, each chapter begins with an essay, that analyses the contexts in which these books were created. 

For the first time in Australia the work of Australian artists and writers working in the field of book arts is presented within an international and historical perspective. Each book is featured with images and an accompanying commentary. Monica Oppen and Peter Lyssiotis, both practising artists, lend their unique perspective to the social content and the techniques behind the production of these books.

Also published for the first time, five new translations into English, four from the German, including The War by Georg Heym from Umbra Vitae, the complete text of Die Neue Stadt by Josef Luitpold and Otto Schatz and one from the Russian, the poem City from Gorod Stihki by Alexandr Rubakin.

The publication of this catalogue is timely as interest in the field of book arts, both locally and internationally continues to grow. 

Commentaries and introduction by Monica Oppen and Peter Lyssiotis.

Preface by Sarah Bodman Senior Research Fellow for Artists’ Books, UWE,

Essays by Walter Struve librarian State Library of Victoria, Dr Scott McQuire Associate Professor and Reader, School of Culture and Communication, University of Melbourne, Humphrey McQueen freelance historian and Des Cowley Rare Printed Collections Manager, State Library of Victoria.

ARTISTS and WRITERS

William Blake UK, Norman Lindsay AUS, Nathalia Goncharova Russia, Alexandr Rubakin Russia, George Grosz Germany, Ernst Kirchner Germany, Georg Heym Germany, Lazar El Lissitsky Russia, Josef Luitpold Austria, Otto Schatz Austria, John Heartfield Germany, Max Beckmann Germany, Stephan Lackner Germany, Noel Counihan AUS, Klaus Staeck Germany, Ian Howard AUS, Glenn Clarke AUS, Peter Lyssiotis AUS, Paul Zelevansky USA, Michael Peven USA, Sonia Balassanian USA/Armenian, Jean Pinataro USA, James Casebere USA, Ted Hopkins AUS, Helen Malone AUS, Noreen Grahame AUS, Cerise Ward AUS, Brad Freeman USA, Gerhard Richter Germany, Robert Frank CH, Josley Carvahlo Brazil, Colin Matthes USA, Erik Ruin USA, Josh MacPhee USA, Nicolas Lampert USA, Richard Tipping AUS, Monica Oppen AUS, Tim Mosely AUS, Sarah Bowen AUS, Darren Bryant AUS, Liz Deckers AUS, Rebecckah Evans AUS, Louise Irving AUS, Jo Kambourian AUS, Noga Freiberg AUS, Susan Goddard AUS, Doug Spowart AUS, Glen Smith AUS, Theo Strasser AUS, Kirk Crawford-Watts AUS, Ross McMaster AUS, Anne Twigg AUS, Jas Duke AUS, Vivienne Méhes AUS, Gilles Peress France, Eric Stover USA, Robert Colvin AUS, Caren Florance AUS, Travis Paterson AUS, Telfer Stokes UK

Published by Ant Press for Bibliotheca Librorum apud Artificem, distributed by Australian Scholarly Publishing.