Fishy

Fishy: Front cover. Published October 2024, Ambeck Design.

Inspired by the UK Post Office scandal (another digital success!) "Fishy" is about small fish being eaten by bigger fish for all to eventually get swallowed up by the big fat cat of the world.

Small fish being eaten by the bigger fish.

The big fat cat.

The cog-like fish are a reference to us all being cogs in the big scheme of existence – also used in earlier work ('Cogs – a Book in the Machine', 2006).

Shoals of cog-fish following the current.

Some have already given up. Hand-stitched fish-bones.

'Fishy' can be seen as a companion piece to 'AI – Authentic Inanity' (June 2024), which is also an A6 origami book format – unfolding to A4.

The big fish which has swallowed all the little fish.

A6 origami book format – unfolding to A4

10 pages, covers included.

Hand-printed using acrylic paint, Gelli plate mono-printing and pochoir/stencil techniques. Hand-stitched and individually typed on Adler Special typewriter (circa 1950's). Each piece also has three original postage stamps added, making each copy unique.
Stock: 120gsm Fabriano Toned paper – coloured: 'Sea'.
Cover size: A6 (7.5 x 10.5 cm)
Language: English/fish
Edition 35, individually numbered on typewriter and in a glassine envelope.
Published October 2024.

Launched at the Small Publishers Fair, October 25th 2024, at Conway Hall, London.

'Fishy' at the launch October 25th, 2024 at the Small Publishers Fair, Conway Hall, London.

Watch 'Fishy' unfold:

In the Public collection of: Winchester School of Art Library: Special Collections.

Edition bagged in glassine envelopes.

AI – Authentic Inanity (2024)

AI – Authentic Inanity: Front and back covers. Published June 2024.
A6 origami book-format. Unfolds to A4.

Authentic Inanity is as far from Artificial Intelligence as you can get – created using no digital means whatsoever.

Title; individually handwritten using lettering stencils and pigment liners. 

First page turn; hand-stitching and pop-up.

A return to the handmade and the naive robots which were used in my early work from 2000; Boy Meets Girl – the meeting of two robots.

Use of hand-cuts and simple pop-ups have also been constants in much of my previous work. Sewn elements were first introduced into my work in 1995 and also the use of a traditional typewriter. Adding postage stamps is a more recent feature.

Using pochoir and rubber stamping seemed like the perfect way to produce multiples when the working space is limited.

Kitchen top pochoir printing – one-by-one.

Final print: green robot-crane – front.

AI – unfolded; blue robot – back.

Each copy individually typed on an Adler Special typewriter.

Watch the book unfold:

A6 origami book format – unfolding to A4.

10 pages covers included.

Hand-printed using acrylic paint, pochoir and rubber stamping techniques. Hand-stitched and individually typed on Adler Special typewriter (circa 1950's). Title individually done using lettering stencils and Staedtler pigment liner 0.1 and 0.3. Each piece also has three original postage stamps added, making each copy unique. Copies no. 27 & 28 furthermore have an extra layer of printing added by Gelli plate.
Stock: 120gsm Fabriano Toned paper – coloured: 'Clay'.
Cover size: A6 (7.5 x 10.5 cm)
Language: English + code
Edition 30, individually numbered on typewriter and in a glassine envelope.
Published June 2024.

In the public collections of: Winchester School of Art Library: Special Collections.

Copies in glassine envelopes.

 
Launched at Bristol Artists Book Event (BABE), UWE Bower Ashton, Bristol, UK, June 29th 2024.

On the table at BABE 2024.

Panic Pollution Ephemera (2023)

"Cover" of tabloid: Panic Pollution Ephemera, 2023 by Ambeck Design.

It began with a panic to try and protect ourselves, and others, from each other's breath. Home-made masks were all we had to start with, as proper PPE was only for the professionals trying to save lives.

As time passed PPE became more commonplace for all and, like newspapers once littered the city streets with yesterday’s news, so masks became a new element of public littering.

During months of predominantly staying at home, daily walks were much needed. I was taken aback by the amount of discarded masks and began documenting at random what I would see. This tabloid shows a photographic selection from those walks during the period of August 27th, 2020 - April 25th, 2022.

All photos were taken with iPhone 11 without filters and all masks were photographed as seen.

Front and back covers. Bronze sculpture 'Taxi' by J. Seward Johnson Jr. 1983, on the Embankment, London.

I found it ironic that, before the pandemic, one of the hot topics was climate change caused by our own pollution. Then came Covid and pollution took a back seat for obvious reasons. It seemed like many had forgotten that PPE left behind is full of polypropylene plastic particles and will not decompose for up to 450 years. Unexpected historic evidence.

Four seasons.

Themes emerged as I looked at the final collection of images, 302 in total. These extend across more than one page and, as this tabloid is designed as a fluid visual experience – the double-spreads can be rearranged as the viewer sees fit. 

Everything reflects both individual and shared moments during a time of world-wide panic and grief.

Alternative cover example.

Spread of 'blues'.

Spread called: 'solo'.

A tabloid or a set of posters? The viewer decides.

Stacks of 50 – numbered and signed.

Tabloid paper printed by the Newspaper Club, UK.

20 pages covers included.

Stock: 80gsm Bright Recycled.
Cover size: Tabloid (28.9 x 38 cm)
Language: English
Edition 100, numbered and signed.
Published October 14th 2023. 

Launched at the Small Publishers Fair, Conway Hall, Holborn, London, UK (27-28 October 2023).

In the public collections of: Tate Britain, Bodleian Libraries – Special Collections, British Library, Wellcome Collection, Winchester School of Art Library: Special Collections, Manchester Metropolitan University Library All Saints, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Library, Edinburgh and Victoria and Albert Museum: National Art Library, London.

All copies numbered and signed by Ambeck Design, 2023.

Unbox (2022)

Unbox (2022) by Ensixteen Editions & Ambeck Design.

Unbox – the memories of two people. They say you can't take it with you.

Made in collaboration with Ensixteen Editions (aka Mike Nicholson) – the first collaboration since 2003.

A piece about possessions. When uprooting your entire life, what do you keep?

A look at what two people setting up a new life together decided to keep and the stories behind.

Unbox – front and back cover (2022) by Ensixteen Editions & Ambeck Design.

Each copy comes with a free original gift – a rubber stamped used piece of Danish packing paper from the move.

Unbox – opening spread with free gift (2022) Ensixteen Editions & Ambeck Design.

Printed and stapled pamphlet, by Doxzoo.com, London.

Softcover, 20 pages incl. cover.

Stock: Matt (ultra smooth) 160 gsm.

Cover size: A5 (14.85 x 21 cm)

Language: English

Edition 54 + 2 AP – 2nd impression of 50 printed 2.10.2023.

Published October 2nd 2022. 

Launched at the Small Publishers Fair, at Conway Hall, Holborn, London, UK (28-29 October 2022).

In the public collections of: Tate Britain, Manchester Metropolitan University Library All Saints, Wellcome Collection and Winchester School of Art Library: Special Collections.

Unbox – spread (2022) by Ensixteen Editions & Ambeck Design.

Home use ONLY (2020)

Without a view of the cover or spine, the book becomes anonymous as to its contents.

What it may hide? – Is it images or text? – Will the reader be surprised, disappointed, confused?

The pandemic is similarly mysterious; specifics are vague, symptoms shifting. The carrier is within the greater crowd, within the covers of society.
A white, featureless book.

Outside appearance is anonymous; a blank white cover with no information, asymptomatic. Contact carries risk, but bears results; in bending the fore-edge language is revealed.

 

This builds to legibility from abstract printed shapes now visible inside page surfaces.
Deeper handling – flicking through – reveals the iconic virus structure, drifting discretely in print and cut-out on the pages. Appearing out of the spine to again disappear – as we hope it will.

In early February 2020 I was invited to make a proposal for the themed AMBruno's 2020 project. In April of 2020 my proposal was accepted by AMBruno and project selector, Clive Phillpot. The theme was a photograph titled: One and many pages.
An image of the fore-edge of an anonymous paperback slightly dog-eared, so probably read. Stood upright on a wooden table with a black background. A substantially thick book – no text or image to be seen – so the content could be anything.
Home use ONLY is the result of my accepted proposal submitted on March 15th. The day before Matt Hancock told the House of Commons that all unnecessary social contact should cease. Little did we know how big an impact the virus would have on the world at that moment.

Printed and perfect bound on demand by Blurb.co.uk
Hand-cut by artist
Softcover, 150 pages
Stock: Mohawk Fine Papers – Proline Uncoated, 148gsm. Archival-quality with eggshell-textured finish.
Cover size: 17.1 x 16.8 x 1.65 cm
Language: English
Edition of 19
Published July 2020

In the public collections of: Tate Britain, Manchester Metropolitan University Library All Saints, Winchester School of Art Library: Special Collections, Bodleian Rare Books and Manuscripts,  the Bavarian State Library: Manuscripts and Rare Books, Munich, Germany, Göteborgs universitet: Humanistiska biblioteket, Sweden and Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Library, Edinburgh.

Also in the private collection of Pascal Fouché, France: http://www.flipbook.info/index_en.php

The complete collection of One and many pages are in the collections of: Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) Baltimore – USA and The British Library.

AMBruno – One and many pages has been shown at:

• 'Intervals' with AMBruno – an afternoon of display and discussions on contemporary art books in the Reading Rooms at Tate Britain, London 18.10.2024
• Volumes Art Publishing Days, Zürich, Switzerland 26-27.11.2022
• Small Publishers Fair 2022, Conway Hall, Red Lion Sq. London, UK 28-29.10.2022
• Printed Matter Store, New York, USA 28.06-24.07.2022
• 'Miss Read' – Berlin Art Book Festival, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany 29.04-01.05.2022
• Bristol Artists Book Event (BABE), UWE Bower Ashton, Bristol, UK, 23-24.04.2022
• Printed Matter Virtual Art Book Fair – www.pmvabf.org / @printedmatter_artbookfairs / ambruno.pmvabf.org, (PMVABF), New York, USA 24-28.02.2021

Smørhul (2018)

Smørhul by Mette-Sofie D. Ambeck (Oct. 2018)

Smørhul was created to be part of Bibliotek Nordica – a portable library of Nordic artists' books created in A6 format with deadline October 1st, 2018. The theme for the project was 'Nordicness'.
The project was organised by Imi Maufe (N/UK), Megan Adie (US/DK/S) & Bent Kvisgaard (DK).
See images of the very first display of the project in Viborg, DK: www.vingaards-officin.dk/438052607

My contribution: Smørhul
As a native Dane it seems foreigners think my country is a small, almost idyllic fairytale place – in Danish it would be called a smørhul (butter hole). I take a different view – and this piece is a reflection of that.

Pamphlet stitched booklet with hard cover in a slipcase. 
Pages hand-cut by the artist, text: inkjet printed. 

Hardcover: ink-rolled with hand-cut & peeled board. 
Papers: Cream, van Gelder – Simill Japon 225+130gsm.
Cover: Grey board with red ink.
Slipcase: Naturel, Clairefontaine – Paint On 250gsm. 
Cover size: 14.8 x 10.5cm / Slipcase: 10.6 x 15 x 0.9cm 
Language: Danish & English 
Edition: 22 + 2 AP (No. 1-11 have been donated to the project) 
Completed in October, 2018
First shown at the Small Publishers Fair, at Conway Hall, Holborn, London, UK (Nov.9-10, 2018)

In the public collection of Manchester Metropolitan University Library All Saints, Winchester School of Art Library: Special Collections and The British Library.

Smørhul by Mette-Sofie D. Ambeck (Oct. 2018) – inside cut page.

Smørhul by Mette-Sofie D. Ambeck (Oct. 2018) – inside cut page.

Bibliotek Nordica is part of Codex Polaris – Book art projects organised from Norway.

Bibliotek Nordica was first launched at the Nordic focus of the Codex Book Fair
/CODEX 2019, Craneway Pavilion, Richmond, California, USA 3-6.02.2019

 
BABE - Bristol Artists' Book Event, Arnolfini, Bristol, UK - 30-31.02.2019

Frankfurt Book Fair - on the Bergen kommune stand, Frankfurt, Germany 17-20.10.2019

Konstepidemin, Konstepidemins väg 6, 413 14 Göteborg, Sweden 2-24.11.2019

2021

Rom for bøker / Room for Books – Kristiansand Kunsthall, Norway 30.01-21.03.2021

Bókverk | Book art (Bibliotek Nordica – A Library from the North) – National and University Library of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland 17.05-22.08.2021

CHART Art Fair 2021 (9th Edition) – Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark 26-29.08.2021

via Bibliotek Nordica: www.chartartfair.com/exhibitors/codex-polaris

2022

Malmö Artist Book Biennale, Sweden 6-7.05.2022

BOOKED 2022, MUU Helsinki Contemporary Art Centre, Finland 25.11-18.12.2022

2023

Small Publishers Fair, London, UK 27-28.10.2023

2024

Torpedo Bookshop, Sofies Gate 11, 0170 Oslo, Norway 10.01.2024 18:00

BinBagBooks (2017)

The first two BinBagBooks by Mette-Sofie D. Ambeck (Nov. 2017).

Each book is created from one Danish paper bin bag from Thisted council. A type of paper bin bag used nationally in Denmark until about 10 years ago when black biodegradable plastic bags were introduced instead. The type of bag used is one-layered, made from a nice heavy recycled stock. Often the bin bags were made with two thin layers of paper, which would have been of no use for this purpose. Thankfully I found 11 unused bags my mom had saved, among many two-layered bags.

Danish one-layered bin bag from Thisted council. Photo M-SDA 2017

When used as dustbins, the bags are held in place in a metal stand as shown in the image below – here photographed in the museum: Den Gamle By (The Old Town) in Aarhus. The use of bags are slowly but surely however being replaced by hard plastic wheelie bins all together.

Metal dustbin stand, Den Gamle By, Aarhus, Denmark 2019. Photo M-SDA

The first two books – Trash and Rubbish – were made for the Small Publishers Fair in November 2017, and sold swiftly.
For the Small Publishers Fair in November 2019 another 4 were made: Trash, Rubbish, Garbage and Junk – of which Garbage and Junk are still available.
The books can be used as note/sketch books or just kept as they are – piece of art in their own right.

Second batch of BinBagBooks by Mette-Sofie D. Ambeck (Nov. 2019).

Second batch of BinBagBooks by Mette-Sofie D. Ambeck (Nov. 2019).

Second batch of BinBagBooks by Mette-Sofie D. Ambeck (Nov. 2019).

Paper: Each book is made from one unused original bin bag (pages+cover).
Each has 120 pages of Danish brown bin bag, with print and pockets.
Stitched with hardcover.
Cover size: 17.4 x 12.4 x 2.1cm
Edition of 11, each unique – four titles used: Trash, Rubbish, Garbage and Junk.
First copy made November 2017, the rest of the edition not yet completed.
Launched at the Small Publishers Fair, at Conway Hall, Holborn, London, UK (November 2017)

In the public collection of Winchester School of Art Library: Special Collections, University of the West of England (UWE) Library – Special Collection at Bower Ashton, Bristol and Manchester Metropolitan University Library All Saints.

Second batch of BinBagBooks by Mette-Sofie D. Ambeck (Nov. 2019).