grasping the nettle
the second book in the representation by touch series of artists book addressing the relationship between touch & sight / the haptic and the optic
2020, artists book, codex,
three loose signatures and a concertina housed by a dust jacket in a slip case,
hand made paper, pulp printing,
variable edition of 8 with three artists proof books
16 x 24 x 2 cm (in the slip case)
A primary concern of this artists book is the relationship between humanity and wilderness, a relationship haunted by ocularcentricism. Concern over society’s loss of touch with wilderness reflects concerns over our loss of touch in the reception and evaluation of works of art. The wildernesses visited to produce this artists book included Carnarvon Gorge in central Queensland, Girraween in South East Queensland, and Rainbow Beach on the east coast of Queensland. These artists books were literally made through the touch of fragments from these wildernesses and they extend that touch to the reader.
In her 2008 article “The Attraction of Print: Notes on the Surface of the (Art) Print”, scholar and artist Dr Ruth Pelzer-Montada introduced the micro haptic perception of prints and artists books to the field. “grasping the nettle” is one of a series of artists books collectively titled representation by touch that respond to Pelzer-Montada. This series continues the artists interest in employing touch to convey content to the public.
“Tim Mosely is one of the pioneers of the expanded form (of artists books) … with his collective skills of papermaking and graphic mediums, he explores touch and materiality. In some instances, he embeds images in the substrate of the paper or creates an embossed tactility that demands to be touched. Most intriguingly, for understanding the operational relationship between the optical and tactile, in his recent works such as studio ep i, the tactile evidence does not confirm the optical reading of texture since the surface is entirely flat.” - Ross Woodrow
“I was struck by grasping the nettle as a form of writing or language with an anonymous voice, independent of the 'author', and fascinating by its ‘anonymous' method of creation” - Neil Crawford / TypoG.
reception;
”texturing artist’s book discourse”, The Blue Notebook, Vol 16 #1, 2021
collections;
Bibliotheca Liborum Apud Artificem, Sydney, Australia
The Neil Crawford Artist's Book Collection, London, UK,
Books On Books Collection, UK
& private collections
exhibitions:
2021 Deccenium, Grey Street Gallery, Queensland College of Art
making paper / making art, Gympie Regional Art Gallery, Qld
Manly Artists Book Award Exhibition
2020 abbe artists book fair