Sal Randolph’s exhibition ‘Library of Art, RAYGUN edition opened on Friday night! The opening was a smash hit and we just loved having Sal in Toowoomba and at RAYGUN. The installation consisted of three sets of Sal’s Library of Art with special editions for RAYGUN. One set of the volumes were installed on the gallery walls and the other two were placed on the table for visitors to use.
Sal describes the books as an artwork which is also a system with which to create an artwork. The books are filled with a list of 150 words with one word per page. The clearest way of explaining the work is to give an example of how the books might be used. Here goes, if one wished to make a sculpture, they might choose three (or however many) volumes with titles such as material, structure, and subject. The participant opens the books, and is presented with three words (one from each of the different volumes chosen), these three words result in an instruction such as ‘paint Styrofoam flowers’. If the participant likes the instruction they can write it down in the book titled ‘participation’ (which is filling up!).
Two books in this expanded version operated in a different system, the volumed titled ‘biblio’ (a list of books that relate to the subject and ‘anthology’ (a list of instructional text works) are incomplete. Visitors to the exhibition are invited to contribute to these volumes via the additions sheets. There is also space on these sheets to make suggestions for new titles of volumes, and for other comments.
Visitors to the show loved the work and Sal diligently explained the work to people floating around the table. The Library of Expanding Art will ‘pop up’ at ALASKA PROJECTS in Sydney for a one night only show on Wednesday the 9th at 6pm.
Below is a sneak peak of some of Sals adventuring in the last few days. We have had lots of delicious food (thanks Tarn and Kyle Zevenbergen) and conversation (also delicious).
RAYGUN 