Out of the Box book launch today!

Out of the Box: A Celebration of Contemporary Box Art is available to purchase from today! How happy does Tom look in this picture?!

You can order a copy from your local bookshop or purchase from many online retailers (such as Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmith and Telegraph Books). If you fancy a sneak peek at some of what’s in store then please take a look at 8 Books and Yatzer‘s websites.

Upcoming book publication “Out of the Box: A Celebration of Contemporary Box Art”

I am thrilled to share news of my participation in a new title being released on 29th September by 8 Books and distributed by Thames and Hudson Ltd.

“Out of the Box” is built on a decade of research, curation and documentation of box art exhibitions by Tom Buchanan and includes written contribution from Sarah Lea (curator at the Royal Academy of Arts, London).

Press release:

“A fascinating journey into a labyrinthine world, this is an inclusive, in-depth compendium of artists’ imaginations from very different walks of life.” Gavin Turk

From Duchamp’s Kunstkammer to the avian works of Joseph Cornell, box art re-invents the ordinary and stimulates an endless journey of discovery, both of the self and of the world around us. Out of the Box celebrates objects, assemblage, and the lost art of collecting in an increasingly digital world.

This fascinating compendium features more than 100 creatives from 21 different countries—not only professional artists, but also those living and working outside the mainstream. Showcasing over 500 works, the book encapsulates diversity by way of a practice that refuses to be categorized: it is fine art and design, decorative and serious, artefact and artifice captured in miniature.

The very accessibility of box art, touching all aspects of our lives and our daily rituals of rationalizing and organizing, elicits an empathetic response. We live, arrange, watch, and rest in death in boxes, and this extraordinary book is testament to the absurdity and wonder that is life.

Tom Buchanan is a designer, artist and curator based in London, UK. He has worked for numerous advertising agencies, publishers, record labels and newspapers, including Condé Nast, The Guardian, Saatchi & Saatchi, Time Life, Random House, TBWA GGT, Time Out, INK publishing, Jonathan Cape, Polydor records and New Scientist. In 2012 he was inspired to assemble a nationwide open submission to exhibit “Artworks that have evolved, been created within, or even escaped from a Box”. This was the start of the “Out of the Box” series of exhibitions.

Sarah Lea is an art historian and curator. Having joined the Royal Academy in 2007, Sarah has curated major exhibitions including Joseph Cornell: Wanderlust (2015), Dali/Duchamp (2017), Antony Gormley (2019) and Francis Bacon: Man and Beast (2022). She writes regularly for the RA Magazine and produces podcasts.

Private View of Northern Lights: A New Light Retrospective

This evening saw the opening of Northern Lights, a celebration of the prize exhibition’s tenth year in operation.

New Light was initially established to provide exhibition opportunities for artists in the region (especially those using traditional media), and the show at Saul Hay was held to present new work from previous prize winners. Unfortunately due to an administrative error I was marked as not being able to participate in the show and my piece was therefore missed in the catalogue.

You can view my piece “Lockdown 2.0” along with work of other prize winners Diana Armstrong, Karolina Szymkiewicz, David Chandler, Christopher Cook, Joshua Waterhouse, Anna Poulton, Joanna Whittle, Sarah Harris, James Naughton, Vic Harris, Ian Brooks, Nat Quinn, Mandy Payne, Josie Jenkins, Emma Lawrenson, Jo Taylor, Deborah Grice, Neil Bousfield, Rhea Sherriff-Hammond, Gavin Watson, Jan Huntley Peace, Linnet Rubaya, Christian Alexander Bailey, Alan Stones and Ben Ark.

The show will run from from 26th March – 17th April 2022.

 

 

Upcoming New Light Retrospective show at Saul Hay Gallery, Manchester

In celebration of 10 years of New Light, a retrospective in collaboration with the Saul Hay Gallery has been arranged (opening on March 26th). The exhibition will host work of New Light’s award winning artists spanning the last ten years. For the show, prize winners from the last 5 Prize Exhibitions were invited to submit work for inclusion (of which I am one having won the Norman Ackroyd prize for printmaking in 2013).

The exhibition will also feature work by Nat Quinn, Josie Jenkins, Mandy Payne, Christopher Cook and 2020 winner Joanna Whittle, amongst others. An online catalogue of the show can be viewed here although I was mistakenly marked as not taking part even though I was so please ignore that bit! Entries include paintings, prints, ceramics and sculpture across a range of disciplines with wide ranging subject matters.

It promises to be a diverse and thought provoking exhibition. Hope to see you there!

Artist’s Talk at University of Huddersfield

Lovely to have been invited again to deliver a remote talk on my practice to first year students at the University of Huddersfield. Thoroughly enjoyed discussing my working methods, motivations and all things text with these budding artists and pondering over the questions they had for me!

The Day After The Night Before…

Returning to Turner Contemporary to have a proper look at the work in situ.

I always find it difficult to take everything in at a preview so it seemed like a good idea to go back and have a look at the exhibits on my final day in Kent. It was lovely to see further interaction with my piece too; people building on the marks produced the night before.

Turner Contemporary Open Preview

What a wonderful evening at the Turner Contemporary Open! My first preview since Covid lockdowns and although there were many measures still in place (entry to the show was staggered, socially distanced and included masks), you could feel a buzz among attendees… we were able to go to physical shows once more!

It was also fantastic to see the interaction occurring with my piece as I had intended! Apparently the first marks were down to a guide dog’s tail swishing across the surface. This was the catalyst needed for others to step forward, play and contemplate. I can’t wait to see what happens to the piece between now and 20th February next year!

 

Between the Pages exhibition in St Helens

Nice to get a glimpse of the new show Between the Pages at World of Glass in St Helens. Unfortunately due to the opening times of the space I have been unable to check it out myself but this little clip gives you an idea of what you can see at this unique site. You can catch my work on display until the 3rd September.