Theresa Easton - curator
1st February - 1st March 2012
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The Sunderland Book Project is Theresa Easton’s latest artist’s book project initiative. The projects aim is to raise the profile of the city of Sunderland through the medium of artist’s books worldwide and provide a platform for bookmakers to exhibit and showcase their work. The project brief asks participants to make a book, in response to the city of Sunderland. The project is free to enter and has so far attracted over 50 participants from as far afield as Brazil.
Launched in September 2011 at Arts Centre Washington, Tyne & Wear, the exhibition positively promoted and encouraged audience participation by providing bespoke deck chairs to relax in while leafing through the books on display. All topics and production methods have been be considered. From the hand-crafted to the ‘blurb’ produced photo book.
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Graham Smith based in London, responded to the brief with two books. Sunderland from Oak to Iron is a social comment on the city’s shipbuilding history, while Sunderland documents the football clubs historical change of strip. The project initiated new collaborations, with football once again a topical theme. Poet Ian Horn came together with Printmaker Theresa Easton to interpret a poem written by Horn and inspired by the Thomas MM Hemy painting of 1895, which hangs in the entrance hall of the Stadium of Light. The work claims to be one of the earliest portrayals of Association Football in the world. The book presents the viewer with a challenging read as it incorporates a reproduction of the painting, which has been overprinted with Horn’s poem and then carefully folded to create an upright 3 dimensional object. Other collaborations with a North East link are Jennie Brockington and Karen Dodsworth’s documentary book To The Light House, celebrating the river Wears historical industrial roots and current regeneration. Further afield Grupo Gralha Azul based in Brazil, represent a group of artists that come together regularly to respond to international opportunities, such as The Sunderland Book Project. Working with images taken from the internet, the group produced two pieces of work Sunderland - City of Glass and Sunderland. Stepping back further in time Arvon Wellen is interested in the connection between history and technology and the role of writing. In Bede and the Shipbuilder’s Wife, he portrays these ideas beautifully in a series of digital prints referencing calligraphic marks and machinery.
The Sunderland Book Project is an ongoing project. The next deadline for receiving work is 28th March 2012. For more information and to download an application form check out The Sunderland Book Project page at:
http://theresaeaston.wordpress.com
or 
theresa_easton@yahoo.co.uk.The next North East venue for display is in Middlesbrough 2nd April until 26th May 2012.
The collection will be on display at:
Archive & Display Cabinets
School of Arts & Media
Teesside University
Middlesbrough
TS1 3BA
UK
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