UCROSS ANNOUNCES BOOK ART EXHIBITION

"Tongue-tied," by Toni Mosley of Auckland, New Zealand, courtesy Laramie County Library System in Cheyenne, Wyoming

Ucross, a prestigious artist residency program and creative laboratory for the arts, announced today the opening of a new temporary exhibition in the Raymond Plank Center, Narratives of the Possible: Artists’ Books, on view by appointment only.

The first book art show to be presented at Ucross, Narratives of the Possible: Artists’ Books, travels from the Laramie County Library System in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Mark E. Ritchie, professor of printmaking at the University of Wyoming and a former Ucross artist-in-residence, curated the mixed-media exhibition, which includes work by 20 artists.

“As you explore the pieces in the exhibit, I urge you to consider what makes a book,” Ritchie writes in his introduction. “Is it the physical object or the narrative it contains?”

The exhibition presents books in classic presentation, as well as scrolls, accordion structures, and other artful interpretations and deconstructions of the traditional book as an object. Visitors can also explore audio recordings, flip through colorful collaged pages, and create their own narratives by arranging film negatives on a light board. 
 
“We are delighted to share these unique creations with our greater community,” says Sharon Dynak, President and Executive Director of Ucross. “This surprising and thought-provoking exhibition is unlike anything Ucross has featured in the past. We are honored to be part of this statewide project.” 

In addition to Ritchie, contributing artists include Alicia Bailey of Colorado, Aleta Braun of New Mexico, Katie Christensen of Wyoming, Kayla Clark of Wyoming, Casey Gardner of California, Marine Lahaix of France, Joseph Lappie of Iowa, Maria Lee of Arizona, Lisa Lofgren of Illinois, Toni Mosley of New Zealand, Val Pexton of Wyoming, Marnie Powers-Torrey of Utah, Andrea Przygonski of Australia, Mark Ritchie of Wyoming, Nick Satinover of Tennessee, Marc Snyder of Pennsylvania, Sue Sommers of Wyoming, Louise Taylor of the United Kingdom, Cerese Vaden of Arizona, and Ian van Coller of Montana.

The exhibition is supported in part by the Wyoming Arts Council through funding from the Wyoming State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Narratives of the Possible: Artists’ Books is open Monday through Friday by appointment only, with free admission, through October 27. The exhibition is located in the Raymond Plank Center, a community space situated at the intersection of Highways 14 and 16 East in Ucross.

​To schedule an appointment, prospective visitors may email info@ucross.org or call 307-737-2291.