A series of five artists’ books

1. I think all the world is falling. [Melbourne] : the artists, 2017. Artist’s book, 8 pages concertina digital print, printed covers on gold-trimmed board, in a card slipcase with lettering. Printed in an edition of 6 copies.

2. No longer six feet under. [Melbourne] : the artists, 2017. Artist’s book, 8 pages concertina digital print, printed covers on gold-trimmed board, in a card slipcase with lettering. Printed in an edition of 6 copies.

3. Disrupted and rumpled. [Melbourne] : the artists, 2017. Artist’s book, 8 pages concertina digital print, printed covers on gold-trimmed board, in a card slipcase with lettering. Printed in an edition of 6 copies.

4. Dim wood, spark bright. [Melbourne] : the artists, 2017. Artist’s book, 8 pages concertina digital print, printed covers on gold-trimmed board, in a card slipcase with lettering. Printed in an edition of 6 copies.

5. A warmed pebble in my hand. [Melbourne] : the artists, 2017. Artist’s book, 8 pages concertina digital print, printed covers on gold-trimmed board, in a card slipcase with lettering. Printed in an edition of 6 copies.

These artists’ books by collaborators Gracia Haby and Louise Jennison are part of the show Looped, exhibited in the La Trobe Reading Room at the State Library of Victoria (running from August – November 2017). They form a series of five independent yet related artists’ books, which together weave a tale.

‘We are besotted with paper for its adaptable, foldable, cut-able, concealable, revealing nature. In our artists’ books, prints, zines, drawings, and collages, we use an armoury of play, humour, and perhaps the poetic too, with intent to lure you closer. The animal is oft present and easily detectable, the centre of our paper stage. Hard to miss, over here and over there, the animal runs up hills, scales rooftops, and sometimes appears to take flight. Gliding through a scene it is too large to be contained within or perhaps too manmade to call home, that it has a tail or feathers or furred muzzle is not solely why its form appears. For us, the animal is there to question our very behaviour, those moral principles one governs the self by, and to explore our relationship with the natural world. The words of Gogol whisper in the ear, “the longer and more carefully we look at a funny story, the sadder it becomes.” And so, we leave our scenes open-ended, inviting you to ponder and perhaps find that things are not always as they first appear.’ – Artists’ statement

The contemporary artists’ books of Gracia & Louise are represented in the collections of Artspace Mackay; Bibliotheca Librorum Apud Artificem; Deakin University Library; Melbourne Museum; Melbourne University Library; Monash University Library; Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery; National Gallery of Australia; National Gallery of Victoria; National Library of Australia; RMIT University Library; State Library of New South Wales; State Library of Victoria; State Library of Queensland; Tate (UK); University of the West of England (UK).

The books in this series have received numerous nominations and awards. The pair I think all the world is falling and No long six feet under were shortlisted for the 2017 Geelong acquisitive print awards, at Geelong Gallery, 2017. I think all the world is falling has been shortlisted for the 2017 Fremantle Arts Centre Fremantle Print Award, and will be exhibited at Fremantle Arts Centre, W.A., from 21 September 2017. The three other books were created as a trio, specifically for the Looped exhibition at the State Library of Victoria.