D+Q will be at ExpoZine this weekend, peddling our wares and and hosting signings by Pat Shewchuk + Marek Colek (Pohadky)and Pascal Girard, whose brand new Petit Livre, Nicolas, we just received. Our schedule for the weekend is as follows:
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29
12 pm- Fair Opens 2-4 pm- Pat Shewchuk + Marek Colek signing 6 pm- Fair Closes
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30
12 pm- Fair opens 1:30-3:00 pm- Pat + Marek signing 3:00-4:00- Pascal Girard signing 6:00 pm- Fair closes
So come visit us at 5035 St Dominique, in between St Joseph and Laurier. D+Q artists Matt Forsythe (Ojingogo) and Peter Thompson (The Chronicles of Lucky Ello) will also be there selling their own books, and I'm sure that they would sign copies of their D+Q published books if you asked them nicely.
If nothing else, come to say hi to Kit, Rebecca, Jamie Salomon and me, and try to stave off the early winter depression by buying cool stuff! Posted by Jessica Campbell at 3:33 PM
It what may be a first for a D+Q book, there is now a promotional animated video up for the book Pohadky, courtesy of artists Pat Shewchuk and Marek Colek. Pohadky launches at the Drawn & Quarterly store this Friday at 7:00 pm. Posted by Chris Oliveros at 3:39 PM
Peter Thompson (at left) and James Kirkpatrick (right) are two fine young Ontarioan lads who are right now hanging out at 211, putting drawings up form their new book, Brain Trust. Friendly guys both, their drawings and paintings suggest hundreds of hours of twisty-turvy conversations and brain synchronizations. . Beautiful stuff.
And if you miss their LAUNCH TONIGHT you can still see their works hanging on our wall for the next month or so.
All of it is for sale and priced reasonably.
Including the flagship Brain Trust cover piece -- The Original -- in pink.
Come see the work of these fine collaborators, at 211. Posted by Matt Shane at 4:30 PM
Tonight, celebrate the launch of Anteism's new book: Brain Trust.
Brain Trust collects over 90 collaborative drawings by Peter Thompson (author of D&Q's - Lucky Ello) and James Kirkpatrick (a.k.a. Thesis). The two have been drawing and painting together for 8 years now, which has given their work the quality and look of having one (very strange) author instead of two.
Montreal's a city of many amazing annual festivals and fairs, but the one that's high on my list is coming up...EXPOZINE!
The whole thing is an admirable affair, really; whether you're famous or a "nobody," for a nominal fee of 25 dollars you can set up shop for two whole days and peddle your goods to your fellow citizens at one of the sweetest small press fairs in Canada.
Want to be involved?? Well, I think all the spots are filled up for this year (there is a waiting list on their website), but why not prep for next year? 211 Bernard can help you out.
Watcha Mean, What's a Zine? is a great primer for entering the zine world. If you're a well seasoned zine-maker you probably won't need the technical advice but the contributions by a roster of great artists and writers are guaranteed to please novices and experts alike! If you're new to the craft or have a misguided cousin who needs some direction (kids these days), it's perfect. Sarah and Sonia of the Anchor Archive Regional Zine Project in Halifax use this book for their zine-making workshop with kids:
Contributors include: Paperrad, Ron Rege Jr., Allison Cole, Anders Nilsen and more! WOW!
Being into bookbinding/making for a while, I was excited for this to arrive:
It's wonderfully designed in a dada-collage kind of way and is inspiring even on just a visual level.
A whole section on accordion books! Be still, my heart.
Expozine is November 29-30 from 12pm-6pm at 5035 St. Dominique (and Laurier).
As a patron of the festival, you can expect to see all sorts of things ranging from zines, prints, drawings, posters, handmade stuff and of course, D+Q books! Come say hi to our folk and get a taste of our stock in a sweaty and cramped church basement.
Whether you're at Expozine selling or buying, get bookmaking! You've got one week. Posted by elif at 3:15 PM
I love Seth's illustrations within the book, as well as the embossed covers. Note: THE IDLER'S GLOSSARY IS PERFECT STOCKING SIZE. That's is right, I have made a Christmas reference. Really though this would make any idling Papa (or Maman) happy.
Not that these books are hidden, exactly, (in fact, they are both prominently displayed at our fine bookstore) it's just that these 2 amazing titles aren't as thick and shiny as some of their big book friends. But isn't there an expression about small being beautiful?
The first I felt compelled to point out is called Boiled Beef, and is a limited edition book of drawings by the amazing Kevin Scalzo. I picked this one up recently (for $6!) and just can't get enough. It's pretty easy to see (below) why.
Scalzo's drawings are at once hilarious and fantastical, yet melancholic and contemplative. A hard mix to pull off well. Boiled Beef provokes feelings similar to the ones you get when you make a fort all by your lonesome and sit up in it all night, remembering some sad and some happy stuff that's happened. Seriously.
In a very similar format but totally different vein, Fiona Smyth's fantastic, The Virtuous/Rise of the Matriarchy, a recent self-publication (priced at $5!), is a powerful parade of illustrations that show off her immense talent as an established artist as well as the wonders of her imagination.
Her book is chock full of interesting, strong female characters who float through the pages and straight into your head.
It's a real honour to be able to offer in our store these gorgeous limited edition, small publications from extremely accomplished (Canadian!) art makers. Come by and take a look!
Join D+Q in launching Pat Shewchuk and Marek Colek's Pohadky at 211 Bernard on Friday, November 28th. Details are as follows: Launch of Pohadky by Pat Shewchuk and Marek Colek 7 pm, Friday, November 28th Librairie Drawn & Quarterly 211 Bernard Ouest, Montreal (514) 279-2224
Simon has long been my favorite Montreal poster artist out of a talented bunch. He has a great loose confident cartoon-y style and probably the most perfect registration and color-mixing of the bunch. His posters command the telephone poles of Mile-End. Below are a few of my recent faves. And these babies are cheap! I think the most expensive of the lot is $20.
Sarah Sze: I've been tracking Sze's work for awhile now via her website and it was a delight to receive this comprehensive profile in print. Like many sculptors nowadays, Sze works with the kind of banal materials you might find at a Dollarama or Home Depot. It's as though she spends enough time playing with them that they become imbued with a sort of magic.
I've walked through her museum installations before and felt like I'd been transported to a fairy-land -- part of what makes this land so special is that its materials are stuff we're all familiar with: bottle caps, tape measures, ladders, paper cups, etc. The one at right is actually my favorite (materials: paper, lamps, car doors). This book is packed with eye-candy plates that are so beautiful, they could pass as paintings.
Tom Friedman:
Another artist making common materials into magic is Tom Friedman. He goes about it a little more conceptually, but no less playfully. Here's a 3-D portrait of himself--getting violently torn apart--made entirely of construction paper.
That was a little harsh...
Here, to sweeten the deal (har), I'll give you his self-portrait made of sugar cubes. There's plenty more. This book blows my mind--come see (my mind, blown)!
By very briefly mentioning kittens in her last post, Elif has unknowingly put me in a burning "let's talk kittens" mood. So here I am, recommending my top 3 picks for all of you animal-obsessed freaks out there:
1) Cat Getting Out Of The Bag - Jeffrey Brown
Jeffrey Brown unconditionally loves cats, even when (or maybe because?) they ruin his furniture, bother him to no end and puke fur all over the place. Therefore, his portrayal of life with a cute cat is so damn charming and weirdly familiar, crazy cat people will either melt in never-ending "awws" or scream their loudest "that's so true" and various other "omg Cuddlepuff does the exact same thing!". This book is our 10th best selling title of the month. Coincidence? I think not.
2) Dogs On Rocks - William Wegman
Can you guess what's in a book titled "Dogs on Rocks"? Yup, that's right, pictures of dogs laying (or standing) on rocks. Underneath that lovely shiny light blue satin cover you'll find beautiful, poetic and sometimes incongruous shots, but that's (almost) besides the point: you should get that precious item just for the sake of telling your friends about that one book you own that's all about dogs on rocks.
3) A Really Super Book About Squirrels
- Graham Roumieu & Graham Taylor
Speaking of books with awesome titles, this one is great. It may be about the bittersweet story of unrequited friendship between an awkward man and his neighbor, but trust me, the fact that the neighbor in question is a weird and indifferent (i.e. average) squirrel changes everything. This hilarious collection of a man's unilateral feelings of friendship for a squirrel obviously enchanted more than one of you guys, as it was our 9th best selling title of the month!
I'm currently reading Roberto Bolaño's The Savage Detectives. I don't get to read as often as I'd like between work and taking care of two kids (also, I have like 7 seasons of The Shield to watch. CHIKLIS!) but this is a real page turner and is keeping me up at night. But, man, I can't wait to finish to move onto this book:
Jonathem Lethem has a great review here. There is nothing I love more than a) a boxed set and b) 800+ page novels that there's no way I have time to read. Yes! Posted by Tom Devlin at 3:00 PM
Take a look at this neat little series that just came in. Praised by Wallpaper Magazine and compiled by Todd Oldham, they document notable interior spaces in snappy full color spreads.
Ever wondered what John Waters' domain looks like? Apparently he collects small plastic replicas of food, and also collages of kittens. As suspected, he and I are kindred spirits.
Each volume also features a small essay by the likes of Cindy Sherman, Amy Sedaris, and Michael Graves.
Volume 2, Home Studio Home surveys the creative spaces of the youth of Rhode Island. Ah, the lair of the art student! So much ironic flourescent macrame.
As Tom pointed out, Mat Brinkman (Teratoid Heights) is also featured in Volume 2!
Mark these on your Christmas list if you don't already have 'em..
And notice how many of our top selling titles are books we published -- subliminal advertising tactics? Strategic book placement? Sexy graphics? Or are our books just that good?
1. Acme Novelty Library 19 -- Chris Ware -- *D&Q title* 2. Ojingogo -- Matt Forsythe -- *D&Q title*
3. Louis Riel -- Chester Brown -- *D&Q title*
4. Illusztraijuns -- Marc Bell -- *D&Q title*
5. No One Belongs Here More Than You -- Miranda July
6. Milk Teeth -- Julie Morstad -- *D&Q title*
6. Moomin Book 3 -- Tove Jansson -- *D&Q title*
7. Print Liberation: The Screen Printing Primer -- Nick Paperone + Jamie Dillon
8. Best American Comics 2008 -- Edited by Lynda Barry
8. A Really Super Book About Squirrels -- Graham Roumieu
8. Cat Getting Out of a Bag -- Jeffrey Brown
8. Exit Wounds -- Rutu Modan -- *D&Q title* 8. Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea -- Guy Delisle -- *D&Q title*
8. Big Questions 11 -- Anders Nilsen -- *D&Q title*
Boy am I glad this hot pink cover (and my undying love for Tezuka's adult-oriented work) grabbed my attention! Not exactly knowing what I was getting into, I found myself sucked into this perfect blend of personal and political stories, gasping in awe at the author's dramatic narration and brilliant character writing. You won't drop it until you've read the very last page!
The story follows the two survivors of a disaster that killed the 800 innocent inhabitants of a small secluded Japanese island. The deadly MW gas that was mass-produced for the Vietnam War by Japan (in collaboration with 'Nation X') leaked and annihilated everyone on the island except teenage hoodlum Garai and young boy Michio Yuki, who were then luckily both in a cave up in a mountain where the gas didn't reach.
15 years later, the incident has irremediably changed the two men's fate: Garai has become a catholic priest while Yuki definitely didn't choose the same path. Although he did grow up to be an exceptionally intelligent man, he lost all sense of morality and consideration for other's feelings (and lives). In fact, he became an awfully dangerous man to be around, the kind that goes around committing intricately planned murders and lots of other bad stuff.
You can imagine that when Father Garai (who already has enough on his plate with his forbidden homosexual relationship with Yuki) gets involved in the boy's cold-blooded murders and plans to dismantle the powerful but corrupt government, things get cracking.
We hosted a launch for Dan Holst Soelberg's new book: Oddities Of West Blankshire The book is a small wonder with black and white ink drawing's like the one above. Dan spoke and showed a brief presentation. The book is now in store and well worth taking a peak at. Posted by Rory at 12:41 PM
In anticipation of our upcoming Winter Silkscreening Workshop that still has room to register, we offer you an insightful look into our Fall Workshop that produced the wonderful masks we've blogged about!
Gather 'round, brethren, and feel the wisdom of the printing screen. A spattering of ink, a woosh of the squeegee, settle, sigh, lift, LOOK!
It's been a delight to observe Leyla's Silkscreening classes from my desk here. In three informative sessions, she shows participants how little is needed to create your own printing setup at home, how to print safely with the right materials, and some of the ways you can push and bring your own images to life.. over and over again.
And while I'm on the topic, I should mention a few of our students bought this book. Leyla says its great. Remember: 20% discount on all our books to workshop participants!
Our winter Silkscreen classes begin November 17th! Come put your deposit in now!
Tonight was the reading "Grown ups read things they wrote as kids" and man, was it a hoot and a holler!
Subjects ranged from lamentations on girlhood, exclusion, candy thieving janitors, sewer adventures, cats, hitting puberty, and my favorite, a nine-year old's elaborate list of ways to kill time on an 8 hour trans-Atlantic flight.
Although most people showed up merely as spectators, the selection of folks who did read really shed some light on the wonderful, ridiculous and perplexing thing that is a child's brain!
Even Julien brought in some sweet comix he wrote as a wee one...that boy was born to work at D+Q! Come ask him nicely and maybe he'll show you a peek.
Finally, thanks to local organizer Morgan Charles, the unstoppably rad open-mic reading series Grownups Read Things They Wrote As Kids! comes to Montreal for the first time from it's beginnings in Toronto! And even better, it's happening in our lovely store, tomorrow, Wednesday the 5th, at 7pm!
The event brings together an exciting hodge-podge of epic fan fiction, poems and diary entries that were written when we were precocious children and angst-ridden teens. Bring your old list of crushes or first love letter and read it out loud, mortified, in front of more than a hundred people.
Everyone is also welcome to bring some cringe-worthy art which we will exhibit for one another!
Talk about group catharsis. Don't miss it. Posted by Julien at 6:00 PM
Tonight was the third and final installment of Billy's workshops here at 211 Bernard. I had the pleasure of eavesdropping on collaborative round tables of creation with Billy, Sarah, Enriquez, Flavia, Murielle and Isabel.
The workshop was geared towards adults (30+) who had the chance to investigate the accidental, and explore and challenge the notion that art is only for "artists." The materials used were simple, just pencil and paper really, but the discourse opened up between strangers was totally complex and layered. What a total delight!
The final piece ended up looking like a surrealist map of sorts, after being cut up and reassembled:
They even ended up with a little zine!!
You may know Billy from around the neighborhood; he's a Canadian cartoonist and artist living in Montreal. Billy's responsible for Expozine, one of Canada's raddest Zine fairs (which is coming up at the end of the month, by the way!), and is the curator/resident-at-large of Monastiraki, a "shop and gallery of wonders" on Blvd St Laurent. If you haven't ever been into Monastiraki, I suggest you hit it up immediately, as it's one of Mile End's brilliant and sparkling diamonds in the rough: 5478 St Laurent, (514) 278-4879, http://monastiraki.blogspot.com .
And please, keep your eyes and ears peeled for the next opportunity to sit in on one of these powerhouse sessions of creativity. You'll be totally glad you did!
If you're into the oldschool (non-DARK) Batman or just into japanese pop/manga aesthetics, than you will melt just like I did at the sight of this gorgeous book.
Bat-Manga is a collection of original japanese Batman & Robin stories written and drawn by Manga Master Jiro Kuwata between 1966 and 1967. The fact that it took 40 years for these to be collected and translated blows my mind! What is wrong with people?
This monograph is big and beautiful: 384 glossy pages of wonderful Batman goodness. The stories are a great blend of action, drama, morality and delicious unintentional irony which the translators conveyed masterfully! Here's a random piece of dialogue just to prove my point:
Professor: Ha Ha Ha - You came here to save your own face! ... But now I think I'll scramble your real face instead! Batman: Professor! We're here to save you! Professor: Thanks, but no thanks!
Most of the book consists of scans of the pages as they were originally published, and not scans the original drawings, so you get that unique and grainy look of colored ink on low quality phonebook-sized pulp. And, after every chapter, you're treated with bright colorful images of various vintage japanese Batman illustrations and paraphenalia.
{Don't you love this great Robin illustration on the back cover?} Posted by Julien at 5:50 PM
It seems that the whole DIY movement has really taken off recently. I wouldn't want to say "trendy" perse, as that implies some sort of negative "I was there first!!" attitude on my part, but there is definitely a wealth of publications these days to aid you in your self-education in the crafts and arts!
Here's a selection of some of the DIY books we carry here at D+Q to help take matters into your own hands.
Okay, so you can do like me and squander yeeears of your life getting a whole degree in textiles, or you can just purchase this book.
It's layed out in a really beautiful way with pretty photographs and a whole range of processes like screen printing, stenciling and stamping, all for textiles! The instructions are pretty in-depth and I get the feeling that this is a totally accessible read for the print+dye beginner.
However, try not to get discouraged when you compare your workspace with the one illustrated in the pages; the aesthetic in Printing by Hand is neat and tidy, but you'll probably spill emulsion all over your crusty bathroom floor. It's OK!
This next book is really just a great source for motivation. Sure, seeing others work hard and do well is at first discouraging and bittering (if you're anything like me anyway), but the uphill slope after that bender is one of admiration, respect and inspiration.
Handmade Nation: the Rise of DIY, Art, Craft and Design doesn't really teach you to do anything yourself, but it profiles the lives and work of many who have. Think of the book as a catalogue to an exhibition; traveling across America, Faythe Levine made a film by the same name and compiled the interviews and photographs along the way into this awesome book. Pick it up and change your life!
Ah, screenprinting in the comfort of your own home. What a hilarious nightmare! I think if I had looked at this book when I was trying to silkscreen punk rock t-shirts in my parent's suburban basement years back, I wouldn't have shed all those teenaged tears.
Print Liberation gives a great history of screenprinting, as well as tips and instructions to doing it all yourself.
Again, may we mention that we're offering a second installment of silkscreen workshops here at the store? They start on the 17th and last three weeks. The 100 dollar fee covers all supplies and is spearheaded by the extremely skilled Leyla Majeri. To reserve a spot for the course stop by the store during opening hours, or email us at workshops@drawnandquarterly.com . Posted by elif at 1:54 PM
I popped by the store briefly yesterday to see what new thing might have come in and Rory showed me two DVDs I've been eagerly awaiting--We Jam Econo--The Story of the Minutemen and Danielson: A Family Movie.
For my money, the Minutemen were the great 80s post-hardcore/not-hardcore band from that whole SST/Twin-Tone/Homestead era. I still regret the show I missed at the Rat in Boston way back when thinking I could catch them anytime and months later D. Boone was no longer with us. We Jam Econo is my and your chance to catch up with this inspiring bunch of true punks.
Come see the work of these fine collaborators, at 211.
8. Big Questions 11 -- Anders Nilsen -- *D&Q title*
They even ended up with a little zine!!
