The Anti-Library - Space - London 2011

04 NOV–17 DEC ²⁰¹¹

THE ANTI-LIBRARY

LIBRARY: "… a private library is not an ego-boosting appendage but a research tool. Read books are far less valuable than unread ones […] You will accumulate more knowledge and more books as you grow older, and the growing number of unread books on the shelves will look at you menacingly. Indeed, the more you know, the larger the rows of unread books. Let us call this collection of unread books an anti-library."

- Nassim Nicholas Taleb

We encounter this provocation in the opening section of Taleb’s 2007 book The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable. Citing author Umberto Eco (who himself maintains an impressive anti-library), Taleb goes on to espouse the virtue of the anti-scholar, “someone who focuses on the unread books, and makes an attempt not to treat his knowledge as a treasure, or even a possession, or even a self-esteem enhancement device.” 

The possibility of an anti-library, as well as ideas of anti-knowledge and un-learning, informs a new project in SPACE’s LIBRARY gallery. For six weeks in November and December, the Anti-Library will house unread books gathered from over 150 invited contributors each asked to present a single book from their own anti-library, as well a short text outlining their selection. The project will include submissions from:

Oliver Laric, Cally Spooner, Arnaud Desjardin, Ed Atkins, Åbäke, Jamie Shovlin, Am Nuden Da, Pieternel Vermoortel, Mike Sperlinger, Kathy Noble, Maria Fusco, Kate Owens, Gavin Everall, Ian Law, Francesco Pedraglio, Athanasios Argianas (amongst many others). 

The Anti-Library will be displayed within an environment developed by Fay Nicolson and Oliver Smith, in which all the books and short texts submitted by participating artists will be available to handle and read.

SPONSOR

bloomberg on

Artist in Residence - The Glenfiddich Distillery - Dufftown, Scotland 2011

GLENFIDDICH RESIDENCY - DUFFTOWN, SCOTLAND 2011

http://timellis-glenfiddich-residency.blogspot.com/

Exhibition 2: 30th September - 16th October

Progress Progress Progress / The Happy Valley

The collection of works proposes the existence of a social group or order. Orchestrated from what seem like disparate sources, the author has arranged what appear to be artefacts from a once active society. The characteristics of this society ranges from harmless brotherhoods to specific financial and political objectives. The works operate at various tiers of this social structure from aspiration and indoctrination to exportation and exploration. Conjuring notions of clandestine rites, converted knowledge and exclusivity of members, the collection offers a glimpse of and an engagement with the mechanisms for social order.

From Left to Right: 'With Form becomes Meaning / The Happy Valley', 'For it is the Young that will continue the Progress', 'The Bearers', 'Sun Charmer' and 'The Ambassadors' .

From Left to Right: 'For it is the Young that will continue the Progress', 'The Bearers' and 'The Ambassadors' .

From Left to Right: 'For it is the Young that will continue the Progress', 'The Bearers', 'The Ambassadors', 'Sun Charmer' and 'For all that is Worthy, We Stand For This'

From Left to Right: 'With Form becomes Meaning / The Happy Valley', 'The Bearers', 'For it is the Young that will continue the Progress', 'The Ambassadors' and 

'For all that is Worthy, We Stand For This'

Through Form Becomes Meaning/ The Happy Valley

Leaves, Butterflies, acrylic, metal fixings, varnish, plastic, glass

2011

For It Is The Young that will continue The Progress

Wood, paper, acrylic and metal fixings

2011

The Ambassadors

Wood, metal fixings, plaster, acrylic, varnish, felt, flagons

2011

For All that is Worthy, We Stand for This

Chrome, enamel, wood, acrylic and metal fixings

2011

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List of Works:   Progress Progress Progress / The Happy Valley

Through Form Becomes Meaning/ The Happy Valley

Leaves, Butterflies, acrylic, metal fixings, varnish, plastic, glass

2011

For It Is The Young that will continue The Progress

Wood, paper, acrylic and metal fixings

2011

The Ambassadors

Wood, metal fixings, plaster, acrylic, varnish, felt, flagons

2011

For All that is Worthy, We Stand for This

Chrome, enamel, wood, acrylic and metal fixings

2011

For the Bearers

Copper, plastic, bakelite, Iron, wood, ceramic and metal fixings

2011

Sun Charmer                                                                       

Copper, plastic, wood, acrylic and metal fixings

2011

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Exhibition 1: 12th August - 18th September

Tondi

Acrylic, wood stain, varnish, metal on barrel ends

2011

Tondi the plural of Tondo refers to the shape of the work, a term used to denote a circular work of art. A common characteristic of all Tondi being that the background is largely omitted allowing the foreground to be the main subject of interest. The centres or foregrounds in both works transform the structures or backgrounds from which they have originated. One alludes to heraldic imagery taking the form of a shield, the other a scroll taking the form of a trophy. Both surfaces are worn and split but looked after suggesting a utility. There function now sits somewhere between a communitive role and the symbolic.

 For Those Who Are Our Greatest

Acrylic, enamel, varnish, metal fixings and plastic

2011

The work takes the form of an empty worn plaque or registrar. Using symbolic imagery specific to the area a gilded header and surround frame the work. The colour and design allude to a sense of grandeur and importance. Its title and text conjure notions of persistence and endurance, perhaps withstanding some great feat. Although empty it acts as a proposition for qualifying what is deemed worthy.