"MALILIIT NA AKLAT" (Small Books)

"MALILIIT NA AKLAT"
A Group Exhibition featuring
Ivy Alvarez, Aileen Cassinetto, Ulysses Duterte, Paolo Javier/Emmanuel Lacaba, Matt Manalo,
Sean Labrador Manzano, and E.R. Tabios
Summer 2019

A "Miniature Book" is defined in the United States to be sized no more than 3" in width, length, or thickness; outside of the U.S., the threshold measurements become 4". North Fork Arts Projects is delighted to present such Miniature Books as created by Filipino-Pilipinz artists and writers.

North Fork Arts Projects is pleased to present a closer look at each book, featured below in alphabetical order of their authors' names:

IVY ALVAREZ

What Betty Grable Gave by Ivy Alvarez

(2011)

Size: 3" x 3"

Artist/Author's Background Email: Being a writer, I've had a life-long love of books. I've worked in bookshops; studied Bibliography at university where I learned about terms such as verso and recto, quires and endpapers; and even started a micro-press with a partner. Around the time of the workshop, I recently made the broadsheet "haiku one" (of which you, Eileen Tabios, have an example), and I was keen to find out more about bookmaking. So I joined up! Creating the physical book itself was part of the workshop.* Becky Adams, the artist, first showed the class a number of ways to fold paper to create books. This was one of them. For this book, after folding the paper, I then created the two covers, decorated by cutting out and gluing selected scraps of paper, which the artist had for that purpose. I also chose the fabric for the fabric ribbon because I thought the little pink flowers went well with the ones on the covers. This ribbon is laid underneath the folded paper sheet, which is then stuck to the covers at strategic places, gluing it into place. What was I thinking as I was making it? I believe I was trying to maintain an appropriate sense of scale with the tiny book. I really like its daintiness. Looking at it now, I also like the contrast between the curvy details in the covers, with its cutout flowers and wavy-edged paper, against the angularity of the square covers and that one folded sheet. I'm not sure when you made your call for your tiny book collection, but it was well after the workshop, and I would've thought, "Hey, I have something for that!" I would've fetched out the blank book and written in the poem "What Betty Grable Gave", and then posted it to you. When I selected the poem, I was thinking about the Philippines, which is where we are both from. I also would've thought you might like this poem.

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* Ivy made this Tiny Book at a 2011 bookmaking workshop in Cardiff. Here's a description of the workshop:

The workshop, held at Craft in the Bay on Lloyd George Avenue, was described thusly: "You are invited to book a place on our forthcoming creative workshops in which you can learn how to make unique miniature books with the help of artist Becky Adams."

"Becky will be showing you how to cut and fold card/recycled papers to create small books - these may have internal sleeves for keeping things in, pop-out sections - it is really an opportunity to try out a few techniques that are are all very easy to continue with at home if you wish. The afternoon session will be open to new participants and to those wishing to make a full day of it - some of the book designs do require longer. Becky has said she is happy for people to bring along any photos, text, fabrics etc that they would like to include in their work. She will be providing a huge resource of materials for you to choose from also."

Here are images of Ivy's enchanting Miniature Book as it unfolds:

Ivy was generous enough to share the text of her poem:

What Betty Grable Gave I say a lot of things in the day I rein in at night. My hair a moon’s nimbus, a lover said. He was nice. But not enough. Even one other person can feel like a crowd. To say it is incantation: Pangasinan. Cicadas join in to chant it. Crickets. Frogs. A throaty song. Fireflies drag their nets of light. Then the sky dies to dark. Star-wash on skin crusts like salt. I bare my legs to mosquitoes. It’s not their fault they need to eat. Let them feed. I am full-blooded. And there is more of me to give.

The poem is also in her chapbook Hollywood Starlet (dancing girl press & studio). As well, the poem was translated into Spanish for the anthology Alquimia de la Sal, edited by Santiago Aguaded Landero (Amargord Ediciones).

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The Auction by Aileen Cassinetto
(2013)
Size: 2" x 2"

Aileen Cassinetto was moved to make her Miniature Book for the curator's 2013 project which involved tiny books and tiny chairs. The project was entitled "SitWithMoi." The poem "The Auction" is written in the hay(na)ku form where its core is a tercet with the first line being one word, the second line being two words, and the third line being three words.

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ULYSSES DUTERTE by Ulysses Duterte

(2019)
Size: 3" x 4"

Ulysses Duterte created his miniature book by revising a Bonhams Auction Catalogue. He took the catalogue and folded pages to cover images of other artworks. He then painted over the folded pages with acrylic paint.

What's interesting about the result is how the slim painted edges evoke his breakthrough painting innovation of thin painting-sculptures. As North Fork Arts Projects previously exhibited Ulysses' works in "Prison Sunsets and Landscapes," you can see his online exhibit HERE; from that online exhibit, you can see the relationship with the painted edges he created in his miniature book.

Here is Ulysses' book as it unfolds:

You can compare the book's images with Ulysses' thin paintings of Oakland sunsets:

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A Paolo Javier Design & Translation
of "Kundiman" by Emmanuel Lacaba

Size: broadside--2-1/8" x 2-1/2"; slipcase--2-3/4" x 4"

Paolo Javier presents a "hongbao" structured as a tiny de facto broadside slipped into a case. The broadside presents his English translation of Emmanuel Lacaba's Tagalog poem. It was a souvenir for a fundraiser for Kundiman which he cofounded with Sarah Gambito, Joseph Legaspi, and Sanjana Nair. The fundraiser was held at a New York eatery/bar (he can't recall if it was Verlaine or Double Happiness). The hongbao was given to all patrons while his translation was blown up and installed on the walls of the bar.

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MM by Matt Manalo

(2019)
Size: 3.25" x 4"

Here is Matt Manalo's MM as it unfolds, followed by a Q&A:

1) You said you'd done tiny books before. Can you share more information about that?

When I was still in art school, I made tiny books before but it was more of a collection of thoughts and processes. Nothing but stapled or glued together paper. I always made them using discarded materials, which I later on decided to get rid of once I was satisfied after finishing a piece. Now, I regret discarding them because I realize they served more as a journal.

I made another book similar to something I made for you except it wasn’t tiny. This one I decided to keep. (The following are images from Matt's older Tiny Book.)

2) As you created this latest book art, what was your conception and thought process about it?

I wanted to make a book which represented some of my processes in art making. It’s like having a little studio visit with me except in a form of a tiny book. It is almost like one of those sensory books for kids. I also wanted to still stay true to the grid format I always use so in a way, different ways a grid is defined in my mind.

Since my Tiny Paintings series, I have been more comfortable with working with a piece smaller than 4-inches. In my mind, I know I am making a tiny book but I also wanted to make sure that I was utilizing the pages as an art piece.

3) I assume the materials you used are t he current materials you're now using in your studio. That's implied to me by both the works I've seen you make recently and the title of the book, "MM," which I take to be about you...?

Yes, I’m using the same materials from my work: raw canvas, raw cotton, etc. While making the book, I wanted to include materials which I already used and which also felt very personal to me. The only thing that is completely new is the use of the Calamansi plant thorns. I was originally planning to use porcupine quills but it didn’t mean anything to me. I’ve been trying to grow this Calamansi plant, which originally came from my parents’ tree. Unfortunately, the tree died and had to be cut down. The plant that I’ve been growing hasn’t been giving me any fruit and it makes me sad. One day, I stumbled upon a quote about how we should also love the thorns to appreciate a rose’s beauty. It made me think about my sad Calamansi plant and why it hasn’t given me any fruit so I decided to dry some and make it part of the tiny book.

The MM on the book stands for Matt Manalo. I wanted it to be a visual letter to you, Eileen. Also why a letter E cut out of canvas is included in the book, which is bigger than the book. I also wanted to do an homage to your white hair series with the wire except it is the complete opposite from yours.

4) Please share an image of a current work or works that relate to the materials featured in the book, that might be interesting for others to see.

Respectively, here are "Structure 02" (2017) and "Waterfall 02" (2019):

5) Of course I appreciate you making the book MM for me -- THANK YOU so much! Anything else you want to say about this book?

You’re most welcome and I wanted to do something special for you for always supporting me and my practice. Also, I am very grateful for your generosity regarding the books I have from you. I want to add that I made everything by hand particularly with the stitching. Sewing it by hand brought me back to my home economics class in fourth grade. I know for sure it won’t be the last time I am making these. I also want to apologize for its weird, non-flatness. It might be difficult to have it in your tiny book cases.

The solution to shelving Matt's book within the curator's Tiny Book Library was simple. Rather than shelving it within a bookcase, it was placed atop the bookcase! Here are photos of its permanent place following the summer exhibition:

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Conversations at the Wartime Cafe by Sean Labrador Manzano
Size: 1.75" x 3"

Sean Labrador Manzano's Miniature Book is structured as a folded business card that presents an excerpted poem from his "Conversations at the Wartime Cafe" project. More information about Sean's project is presented online by McSweeney's, which you can see HERE.

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THE POLISH STOOL AFFAIR by E.R. Tabios
(Lucidity Poetics / SitWithMoi, 2013)
Size: 2.5" x 3.5"

E.R. Tabios says she made her Miniature Book after receiving a hand-made stool by the Polish artist Ana. She used the packing material as well as an enclosed note to create the book's contents. Within the book, she also included two drawings. Here is the book as it unfolds, as well as a photo of the stool made from wood and a single screw: