Spineless Wonders
Small Press publications, artists books and ephemera. Word and Image research events 2021-2022
Spineless Wonders is a network of artists, writers, academics and librarians, creating and researching small press publications including artists books. We are based in the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL; Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Studies; department of Fine Art, Manchester Metropolitan University; and department of English, Dundee University; UCL Small Press, Modernism, Rare Book and Manuscript collections; Senate House Library, University of London; and other university and public libraries.
Activities and Events
We are organising three one-day research events with a range of presentations and speakers focussing on specific research themes and delving into marginalised university and public collections. These public events will take place with live participants based in a number of locations and linked together online by Zoom.
- November 12 2021: Small Press Artists Books; and Introduction to the Global Book; Materials, Materiality and Process (Tickets via Eventbrite)
- February 18 2022: Community Presses; Multilingualism and Translation; Ephemera and the Environment
- May 13 2022: Queer Publishing; Digital forms of the Book and Archive; Roundtable and making a Global Book
These research events aim to address issues of the history and unique relevance of small press publications and ephemera, in particular those without a spine, Spineless Wonders. We will be making links to Egyptian papyri, inscribed stones, scrolls and medieval manuscripts, including a range of languages - Persian, Coptic and Hebrew, and looking at the relation between material and digital publication.
These events will also be framed within the Slade 150th Anniversary Year including works and presentations by Slade alumni. The spring session will be followed the Slade Small Press Project, February 19, 2022 featuring student publications, generated by Slade Printmaking and Poetry Shed workshops.
This programme is currently being developed and Eventbrite booking will be available as soon as possible.
Associated Events
- June 21 2021: Spineless Spotlights: Pamphlets from Senate House Library’s Collections online via the Institute of English Studies, University of London
Resources
Further resources are available in our Knowledge Base.
Related links
UCL Small Press Collections
UCL Special Collections
Senate House Library Special Collections
Manchester Metropolitan University Special Collections
