Michel Butor and friends: an exhibition in Þjóðarbókhlaða in cooperation with the Reykjavík Arts Festival, Monday 26 May at 16:00
An exhibition of artists’ books by Michel Butor and twelve artists will open in Þjóðarbókhlaða, the library building at Arngrímsgata 3, during the Reykjavík Arts Festival, on Monday 26 May at 16:00.
Michel Butor is one of the leading writers of the group that transformed the novel in France around 1960 under the banner of the new novel (“nouveau roman”). Butor stopped writing novels in the 1960s. Since then he has written a great many essays, poems, travel writings and experimental texts of all kinds.
For decades he has concentrated on texts for artists’ books, has made a great many such works with a great many artists and has lectured on artists’ books in many places. Butor’s literary career can therefore be said to fall into two parts: on the one hand his “former life” as a writer of the new novel, and on the other his texts for artists’ books, along with all kinds of other texts.
The curator is Bernard Alligand, who has chosen for the exhibition artists’ books by twelve artists who have worked with Michel Butor. The project was initiated by the poet Sigurður Pálsson, who has also made artists’ books with Bernard Alligand. Sigurður and Alligand showed their first joint artist’s book in Þjóðarbókhlaða in 2007. The project is a cooperation between the National and University Library of Iceland, the Iceland University of the Arts, the University of Iceland, the French Embassy, the Alliance française and the Reykjavík Arts Festival. The exhibition runs until 29 August.
Students of Aðalheiður Guðmundsdóttir and Jón Proppé at the University of Iceland and the Iceland University of the Arts are making works in dialogue with the artists’ books.
Helga Kristín Gunnarsdóttir welcomes the guests, and addresses will be given by Marc Bouteiller, Ambassador of France, Sigurður Pálsson and Michel Butor.
Michel Butor and Bernard Alligand will discuss their work in an open seminar with students on 28 May, 13:00–14:30.
For more, see the website of the Reykjavík Arts Festival