DIY: Photographers & Books

Tags for: DIY: Photographers & Books
  • Press Release
Friday August 10, 2012
exterior of the CMA building

Contact the Museum's Media Relations Team:
(216) 707-2261
marketingandcommunications@clevelandart.org

The first museum exhibition focused on the print-on-demand photobook also features a connection to local colleges

For more information, please contact:
Saeko Yamamoto, 216-707-6898, syamamoto@clevelandart.org
Caroline Guscott, 216-707-2261, cguscott@clevelandart.org

CLEVELAND (August 10, 2012) – The Cleveland Museum of Art presents DIY: Photographers & Books, the first museum exhibition to examine the print-on-demand photobook and explore its impact on contemporary photographic practice. The free exhibition, which features over 150 books and 18 framed photographs, will be on view from August 11 to December 30, 2012 in the museum’s photography galleries. The exhibition contains work of the most innovative print-on-demand books being published today by international, national and local artists as well as the winners of college competitions organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Print-on-demand is a digital printing technology that allows a book to be printed on demand rapidly and inexpensively in quantities from one copy to thousands. Photographers were among the early adopters of this new means of publication. “DIY: Photographers & Books specifically addresses books as photographic art” says Barbara Tannenbaum, curator of photography for the Cleveland Museum of Art. “One of the goals for the exhibition is to bring photography down off the walls and place it in visitors’ hands.” Visitors to DIY: Photographers & Books are encouraged to touch, open, and read the volumes. Work by well-known photographers including Stephen Shore, Larry Fink, Martin Parr and Daido Moriyama are presented side-by-side with books by emerging artists.

In addition to an international open call for submissions to DIY: Photographers & Books, the Cleveland Museum of Art also organized competitions at three local colleges, the Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland State University and the University of Akron, to encourage young talents to explore the new medium of print-on-demand books. The winners are Lisa Fovozzo Taras (the Cleveland Institute of Art), Peg Mc Nally (Cleveland State University), Ryan Upp (Cleveland State University) and Susie Lilley (the University of Akron.) After the exhibition, the books will be donated to the Cleveland Institute of Art to join their nationally-known teaching collection of artists’ books.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a 36-page catalogue ($10) with an essay by the exhibition’s organizing curator, Barbara Tannenbaum as well as a list of books included in the exhibition. The museum is planning a variety of programming associated with the exhibition.

Programming Schedule
Family Photo Sunday, September 9, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
A special studio workshop to create your own family photobook. One book per family.
Cost for family of up to five people: $42, CMA members $35. Additional family members $2 each. Space is limited. Call the ticket center to register: (216) 421-7350. Registration required.

A Revolution for the Photobook, Wednesday, October 10, 6:30 p.m.
A lecture by Barbara Tannenbaum to introduce print-on-demand technology and the DIY: Photographers & Books exhibition. Free.

The Art of the Photobook Saturday, October 20, 2:00 p.m.
Larissa Leclair of the Indie Photobook Library, Arlington, VA, Melissa Catanese and Ed Panar of Spaces Corners, Pittsburgh, PA and Barbara Tannenbaum will discuss print-on-demand photobooks. Books will be available for purchase from Spaces Corners and a special display of books will be on view from the Indie Photobook Library. Free.

Octavofest: Bea Nettles Saturday, October 27, 2012, 1:00 p.m., Cleveland Public Library
Poet and photographer Bea Nettles will discuss the variety of ways she has published books, from handmade to print-on-demand. Octavofest is a month-long celebration dedicated to the book and paper arts organized by the Cleveland Public Library. Free.

During the month of October, the museum will host a special free library dedicated to photobooks in honor of Octavofest and the DIY: Photographers & Books exhibition. Visitors may borrow photobooks from the museum’s library and leave their own photobooks for other visitors to enjoy. Additional information and a complete listing of Octavofest activities including other free libraries, workshops, lectures and activities will be available at www.octavofest.org.

DIY: Photographers & Books is organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art.