[Location]
San Diego Public Library, San Diego, CA
[Exhibition Description]
The exhibition "Read Through Viewing" invites a contemplative dialogue on the essence and form of the book, challenging conventional perceptions of what constitutes a work of art. F.I.G artists delve into the book's potential to transcend its traditional role, presenting it not merely as a vehicle for narrative or text but as a significant artistic medium in itself. This inquiry is positioned within the broader context of contemporary art practices where the book emerges as a dynamic form, capable of conveying complex ideas and aesthetic experiences beyond the realms of painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. The show interrogates the very definition of a book, exploring its physicality, presence, and the possibility of narrative absence. By presenting books as found objects or eschewing text altogether, the artists prompt us to reconsider the narrative potential of the book and what it means to engage with art on a visceral level.
"Read Through Viewing" poses critical questions about the materiality and conceptual scope of the book as art, inviting viewers to reflect on the transformative possibilities of reading through viewing. Through this exhibition, F.I.G artists not only expand the definition of an artist's book but also explore the intersections of form, content, and meaning in the context of feminist artistic practice.
[Artists]
Kirsten Aaboe, Moya Devine, Nilly Gill, Stacie Birky Greene, Janice Grinsell, Linda Litteral, Kathleen Mitchell, Kathy Nida, Ann Olsen, Susan Osborne, Judith Parenio, Amanda Saint Claire, Anna Stump, Minnie Valero, and Cindy Zimmerman
