arvon wellen

ARTISTS’ BOOKS

 

Artist’s books are hard to define, mostly they are about individuality and the desire to print and possibly publish outside of the formality of the mass-market book trade. An early example could be Albrecht Durer’s “the Revelation of St. John” (1498) had a totality of ideas in terms of a series of prints that mark it as a visual masterpiece in book form.

Perhaps the books of William Blake were also significant in the way that he integrated and entwined text and images. Blake’s printmaking technique and hand colouring, while working in the late 18^th century and early 19^th, gave the books individuality and power beyond the parameters of illustration.

 

“…Arvon Wellen is interested in the connection between history and technology and the role of writing. In Bede and the Shipbuilder's Wife, he portrays these ideas beautifully in a series of digital prints referencing calligraphic marks and machinery.”

 

http://www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/news-archive/mackem12.htm

Bede and the Shipbuilder's Wife: Text and images Arvon Wellen; printed at the Aragó Press 2011

Hetton to Sunderland; Stephenson's first railway: text and images Arvon Wellen, printed at the Aragó Press, Cadaqués, inkjet and lithography

Brigid sat by the fire; artist's book, pochoir and digital