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The 100 Beijing Journals Project: Launching March 1, 2004 in Beijing, ChinaMission Statement:
The 100 Beijing Journals Project will capture, in free-style journal form, a reflection of the intimate insights, dreams and energies of Chinese and foreign artists and creative people living, working, and traveling in Beijing during the 100 days between March 1 to June 8, 2004.
Background Information:
The "100 Beijing Journals Project" is a collaborative, experimental, city-wide, art project which will officially begin March 1, 2004. At that time, I will distribute 100 blank 25 X 35 cm Chinese-style-accordion journals each being 40 pages with 2 blank covers, complete with full bilingual user instructions, ready for artists to embellish. These blank journals will then circulate around Beijing for the next 100 days. Encompassing a grand total of 4000 blank interior pages and 200 blank covers, I am asking any artist encountering one of these roaming journals to add their muses, collages, images, whims, lists, poems, lyrics or whatever, sign their work and pass the journal onto another artist. These artists could include (but not be limited to) visual artists, writers, musicians, poets, interior designers, architects or others who deem themselves as "creative". I am striving to include a mixture of Chinese and foreign nationalities of all age groups to become involved with the project either on an individual basis, filling a page in the journal then passing it along, collaborating with each other or adding to a previous journal entry, then passing the journals along. The emphasis is for creative types to record ideas, connect, and have some fun filling the journals.
The Timezone 8 Bookstore in the Factory 798, DaShanZi area and the Red Gate Gallery (both located in Beijing) offered to be journal pick-up and drop-off participants. Local magazine, "That's Beijing" has been very supportive with publicity and leads, which assists in building my optimism for positive journaling participation.
At this date, I continue to formulate additional publicity via the Chinese and English language press, independent galleries in Beijing, Chinese art academies and by word of mouth. I also plan to have "Gatherings", during the 100 days of the project, on the 33rd, 66th and 99th days for artists to come together, exchange journals, and perhaps even delve into the creative process right at the gatherings.
I am requesting (via the instruction information adhered to the inside each journal) all journals be returned by June 8, 2004 to the drop off points in Beijing or me directly. After the collection date I will begin examining these journals and plan to begin photographing the journal pages for an eventual coffee-table-book publication.
After an autumn 2004 Beijing exhibition I envision the journals on a traveling exhibition in the United States. The following Book and Paper
Arts Centers and museums are considering my proposals for a 2005 exhibition.
The Chicago Center for Book & Paper Arts, Chicago
The Smart Museum, Chicago
The Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Minneapolis
The Center for Book Arts in New York City
and the San Francisco Center for the Book, San Francisco
It is quite an exciting project both artistically and anthropologically speaking. Please
contact me via email with any additional questions.
2005
PAPERGEMS USA: #81 Prospect Street, Apt #37, Northampton, MA 01060
413.454.5813 and/or 413.341.3130
PAPERGEMS CHINA: Beijing Studio: Apartment #2563 in the Capital Paradise of
Beijing, China 101300
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