Bookmarks: Infiltrating the Library System 2017 - 2018

Welcome to the project archive for Bookmarks XV, the fifteenth and final outing of the Bookmarks series. Part I of the free artwork distribution series launched in 2004 and has since visited 159 galleries, bookstores, workshops, centres, schools, museums and libraries in: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK and USA.

The series grew out of an aim to encourage appreciation and awareness of artists working in the book format. Participating artists each produced an edition of 100 signed and numbered bookmarks which were divided into 100 sets; one full set being sent to each of the contributing artists and the rest divided and sent out in distribution boxes to host venues around the world, for visitors to discover.

Since 2004, 598 artists have contributed 59,800 bookmarks to the project. Each bookmark is stamped with the current project’s website address, which directs the taker of the bookmark to the gallery section of the website. Visitors can view works by the artists and contact contributors via their website and email links on the site.

As interest in artists’ books practice has grown internationally over the years, the bookmarks projects have now reached a natural conclusion. 2017 sees the final iteration of the project, and alongside sending bookmarks out to the final 10 venues Bower Ashton library at UWE, Bristol will host a free bookmarks archive giveaway to celebrate 15 outings of Bookmarks!

Bookmarks XV will visit ten venues from September 2017 – February 2018 in Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, the UK and USA. The final set has 54 artists and groups who have sent their bookmarks from Australia, Canada, Germany, Hawaii, Italy, Sweden the UK and USA.

Many thanks to all the artists who signed up for the final outing of Bookmarks XV, and to all of the artists who have contributed to the series over the years, some on multiple occasions.