20 - 30 October 2022
Opening: 20 October, 6:30 PM
+ an exhibition of OPS Type, installation & book presentation by artist Uta Eisenreich, pop-up book store, and a tour by Henk Groenendijk *
Test Press Books is an attempt to bring independent publications to Sofia, in an effort to make them available as a support structure for reading, professional practice, and study.
Independent publications (books, magazines, posters, etc.) are publications in which the authors have complete creative freedom. This applies to the content, the form, the edition, and often even the distribution. It is possible that one of these factors is represented by an outside source (a publisher) as long as the matter of independence by the author is guaranteed. These publications are the result of an attitude in all aspects.
Student publications are inherently independent by nature. It is therefore not surprising that the exhibition “Test Press 20 years of Student publications” (2020) originally formed the basis for this pop-up book event. The idea behind compiling the selection of books for this second edition at KO-OP art space has two main aspects - expression in design and art, and critical thinking in theory and research.
In the pop-up bookshop, we present a number of publications by the international publisher Valiz on art theory, educational subjects, city culture, and architectural planning. A broad selection of other publications will also be available for sale in small numbers. They will cover the fields of graphic design, fashion, photography, typography, illustrated storytelling, and art to academic publications and BA & MA student graduation projects and thesis. Most books are highly contemporary and contain an element of manifest and critical research. All publications were carefully selected for this occasion.
This book sale event will go hand in hand with a display exhibition of printed matter presenting contextual background and process material on type and language. The exhibition and pop-up bookshop will feature the works of OPS Type, Gaile Pranckunaite and students of the Gerrit Rietveld Academy. A display of 32 posters for the Plan B project space in Amsterdam is part of the focus on type. Besides that, we present a wall installation of Uta Eisenreich involving her book with photos ‘AS IF’.
Test Press Books wants to thank Roma publications, Valiz, Spector Books, Idea Books, Warehouse, Public Rietveld, and many independent author-publishers for the cooperation as well as the National Culture Fund of Bulgaria for financial support.
*This event is connected to the exhibition and book presentation at Avirtkl of the publication OF1 by Cleo Tsw. Opening Tuesday, October 18
Henk Groenendijk is the curator of Test-Press events. As a former Gerrit Rietveld professor at the department of Graphic Design and initiator of the ‘Gerrit Rietveld & Sandberg Library Publication Archive,’ he is always busy with books. His personal book collection and archive are a living source and inspiration for many international pop-up book and poster events.
Photos: Mihail Novakov
With the support of the National Culture Fund.
Comments