2024 Jersey Art Book Fair Programs

Bring your latest zine, art book or print project for a one-on-one with legendary Paper Magazine cofounder and Jersey native Kim Hastreiter! Throughout the day, Kim will also be visited by a steady stream of friends, including artist Ruben Toledo, fashion designers ThreeASFOUR, Visionaire cofounder Cecilia Dean, publisher Milah Libin (Mishou Magazine and Dizzy Magazine), filmmaker Chiara Clemente, art director Andrea Fella, with a few more surprises.

In multiple aspects of its functionality, Ash sees self-publishing as a bonding that connects various communities and industries. This program is designed as a workshop-like seminar. The question Ash seeks answers out of this workshop is, what are the possible new forms of publishing? and do we need these new forms? Range from book creators to general book lovers are all welcome! There will be 3-4 professionals and 2 groups of 20 audiences. A collaborative book-making activity will take place after the seminar. The goal is to make every participant contribute to publishing and take a part of it home. The idea is to break down the publication process and make it more accessible to non-professional creators. Topics of the seminar are designed for discussions about publishing decentralization and co-authorship. This event shares the same spirit with JAB Fair, opening the gate of the publication community, connecting people with different focuses, and prospering publishing.

Highways, thoroughfares and expressways conquer and divide a city. While large infrastructural projects like these are highly planned and calculated, the left-over spaces they generate are often unplanned and inhospitable. They are opportunities for communities to respond with creativity. Join this open-to-all workshop to activate this leading question. Presented by DesignShed and facilitated by community planner Christina Leonhardt and Flourish.Lab founder Justin Morris-Marano, with findings to coalesce in a peoples’ report.

Publishers and designers in the artist book world will discuss the tight bond between publication design and content. From fonts to materials, we'll explore how design choices shape our connection with words and images, enhancing themes, emotions, and messaging. This panel Q&A, moderated by Christopher Sleboda and Kathleen Sleboda (Draw Down Books), aims for an inclusive chat, highlighting the crucial role of design in our encounters with artist publications. Panelists will include #Blkgrlswurld ZINE®, Calipso Press, Current Editions, Emily Larned, Gold Rain, Harpy House Press, Headmaster Magazine, Lobbin Liu, Alex Luciano, Porch Water Press, and Two Cents Press.

When Radio Host and Music Director Olivia Bradley-Skill isn't spinning her favorite singles at the legendary free-form station WFMU, she's cutting them up and listening for chance audio loops that mesmerize. Gather around as Olivia demonstrates how she creates these one-of-a-kind sonic crapshoots, and listen to her latest collages.

Highways, thoroughfares and expressways conquer and divide a city. While large infrastructural projects like these are highly planned and calculated, the left-over spaces they generate are often unplanned and inhospitable. They are opportunities for communities to respond with creativity. Join this open-to-all workshop to activate this leading question. Presented by DesignShed and facilitated by community planner Christina Leonhardt and Flourish.Lab founder Justin Morris-Marano, with findings to coalesce in a peoples’ report.

How to Summon an Elemental is a workshop by Sean Suchara based on his exhibit The Elementalist’s Almanac“The Elementalist’s Almanac,” on view at SMUSH Gallery through February 15, 2024. Using the exhibition as a source of inspiration participants will learn a new way to approach making art by creating their own unique drawing tools from upcycled artist materials and sustainably sourced pieces of the surrounding landscape. Through animate the landscape into a means of expressing our creative voice participants will have the opportunity to see the vital role that art can play in building and stewarding a relationship with the natural world.

Over a millennium ago, Arabs identified a specific pattern of pearl hunting in the Persian Gulf. The annual pearl harvesting season was strictly scheduled due to extremely low sea temperatures unsuitable for diving at other times. The crew on pearl diving boat was intricately organized, consisting of a captain, pearl divers, and sailors. On board, there were assistants managed tasks like fishing, cooking, and brewing coffee. Notably, a dedicated singer played a crucial role in uplifting and motivating the team. Music, singing, drumming, and sailors' chants formed the core of the pearl diving boat, echoing continuously from dawn to sunset, interwoven with prayer and meals.

Led primarily by Shisi Huang, Bungee Space will present a special listening session and presentation offering a refreshing break from the bustling art book fair scene. The event will be featuring Nahma: A Gulf Polyphony, LEVA LEVA: Litany of the Portuguese Fishermen, Black Med: an archive in progress of music and sound objects from the wider area of the Mediterranean, Leif Elggren and Yan Jun’s writings, and more. The relevant publications are available for exploring at Bungee Space’s table during the JAB fair.

Pen + Pen - Pen Workshop is presented by Bella Tuo and Chen Luo of Body&Forma. It allows participants to work with variable lengths and widths of pens to draw patterns/letters, then rearrange the composition to generate new visual forms. In this workshop, we invite individuals of all ages to join us in crafting their patterns through our instructions and weaving individual creativity together. Our focus extends beyond the constraints of traditional pens, 4–6 types of reconstructed pen tools will be provided for attendees to draw patterns. Our event perfectly aligns with the focus and mission of the JAB Fair, which celebrates the diversity of art forms and encourages artistic experimentation in a dynamic, collaborative environment. This workshop encourages participants to question: how can we create sustainable tools built upon the existing art material?

Highways, thoroughfares and expressways conquer and divide a city. While large infrastructural projects like these are highly planned and calculated, the left-over spaces they generate are often unplanned and inhospitable. They are opportunities for communities to respond with creativity. Join this open-to-all workshop to activate this leading question. Presented by DesignShed and facilitated by community planner Christina Leonhardt and Flourish.Lab founder Justin Morris-Marano, with findings to coalesce in a peoples’ report.

The panel discussion will focus on new possibilities for Art Book Fairs inspired by the project 'Caution! A Giant Flower' from the 2022 Boston Art Book Fair by Gallon Design. 'Caution! A Giant Flower' is an AR typography micro-exhibition at the 2022 Boston Art Book Fair. Gallon Design has attended four art book fairs across the US this year. Art Book Fairs have resumed this year after the gap caused by the pandemic. The entire AR exhibition concept challenges the physical presence and authorship in the designer community events, such as the Art Book Fair. Can we present printed materials digitally in the future? Can designers/artists be physically present without their works? More importantly, the AR installation is intended to bring joyful moments with the unexpected giant flower to people of all ages, genders, cultures, and religions. In this panel discussion, we will invite 3-5 designers, artists, or creative technologists to discuss the new forms of art book fairs and the future.

Description Coming Soon! Ages 21+. 

You are invited to join artist Amanda Thackray in making sheets of meadow paper for use in her large-scale installation, “Hanging Meadow.” In response to her 2023 residency at Northampton Community College’s East 40 Community Garden in Bethlehem, PA, Thackray is building a sculptural replica meadow created using paper that she has processed from meadow plants in the East 40. Come learn the art and craft of papermaking!

Make a comic on a single sheet of paper? Yeah, you can do it! Starting with an outline of a story, players will start with constructing a single-sheet zine, pace their story in 8-parts, and draw it. Each participant will interact directly with Narciso Espiritu, discussing their experiences and ambitions for making comics. Recommended for ages 6 to teens and up. Yes. Ok.

Highways, thoroughfares and expressways conquer and divide a city. While large infrastructural projects like these are highly planned and calculated, the left-over spaces they generate are often unplanned and inhospitable. They are opportunities for communities to respond with creativity. Join this open-to-all workshop to activate this leading question. Presented by DesignShed and facilitated by community planner Christina Leonhardt and Flourish.Lab founder Justin Morris-Marano, with findings to coalesce in a peoples’ report.

A lecture and Q&A with Kris Graves and Caleb Cain Marcus discussing the basics of the offset bookmaking process. They will provide detailed information about design and layout, production, and budgeting. 

Curator Alaina Claire Feldman joins Aura Rosenberg for a discussion of her book, What is Psychedelic. This artist monograph, published by Pioneer Works Press and Mishkin Gallery, traces Rosenberg’s practice over five decades from the 1970s to her most recent endeavors in photography, film, sculpture, and installation. Together, Rosenberg and Feldman will discuss their collaboration, the ideas that spark between artist and curator, and how the artist's philosophy carries into the book's design. After the talk, Aura will sign copies of her book.

Highways, thoroughfares and expressways conquer and divide a city. While large infrastructural projects like these are highly planned and calculated, the left-over spaces they generate are often unplanned and inhospitable. They are opportunities for communities to respond with creativity. Join this open-to-all workshop to activate this leading question. Presented by DesignShed and facilitated by community planner Christina Leonhardt and Flourish.Lab founder Justin Morris-Marano, with findings to coalesce in a peoples’ report.

Through generations of passing on traditions, spoken, written, or in stories of myth, we accept familial and societal heirlooms without question; exploring traditions that no longer serve us, those that remain strong in our lives and evolving past habits to break generational oppressive cycles to make space for future heirlooms. Participants are introduced to NJ artists of various cultural backgrounds and languages, taking with them the foundation to expand their understanding of the power of the written and spoken word as actions for social justice and building communities. 

Nocturnal Medicine leads a meditative journey and deep listening session that invites participants into their emotional and spiritual landscapes of ecological crisis and climate change. Our local land and its histories and ecologies will be our guide; and through them, we will connect with ourselves, with one another, and with the Earth. The experience consists of an original sound score, guided meditation, and prompts for engagement with the landscape of Liberty State Park.

Using traditional bookbinding techniques, participants will bind a small sketchbook, notebook, or journal using materials from everyday recycling. All those who want to learn the very basics of bookbinding are welcome. Attendees will listen to a demonstration and work independently with 2-3 helpers floating to answer questions/provide guidance. Participants leave the program with a small hardbound book and knowledge of how to bookbind using materials they likely have at home. Giving people the tools to bookbind encourage self-publishing and the creation of hardbound art books, two things JAB is all about!

Highways, thoroughfares and expressways conquer and divide a city. While large infrastructural projects like these are highly planned and calculated, the left-over spaces they generate are often unplanned and inhospitable. They are opportunities for communities to respond with creativity. Join this open-to-all workshop to activate this leading question. Presented by DesignShed and facilitated by community planner Christina Leonhardt and Flourish.Lab founder Justin Morris-Marano, with findings to coalesce in a peoples’ report.

Drawing Quest is a drawing workshop inspired by the mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop role-playing games. Born from an ongoing collaboration with Korea-based artist Kelly Belter, we developed a creative drawing system where participants introduce chance into their creative process through dice rolls. Participants will endeavor on a quest through drawing where they will receive the same prompt and a mixture of mediums to randomly select from. Then through the time of the workshop, they will roll on a table of encounters filled with rolls that they must apply to their illustration. Participants will walk away with not only a unique work of art but tools to escape creative block and find new routes to explore ideas.

Jersey Collective Reads is run by Kerri Sullivan, the founder of Jersey Collective, editor of New Jersey Fan Club (Rutgers University Press), and a public adult programming librarian. The co-host is Courtney Preiss, an Asbury Park-based writer and creative director whose debut novel Welcome Home Caroline Kline (about baseball and recovery on the Jersey Shore) is forthcoming from Putnam/Penguin Random House in April. JCR events ask local authors questions on craft, production, staying creative, and fun Jersey-related questions they've never been asked by other outlets. *2023 authors: Katie Runde, Marcy Dermansky, Bud Smith, Beach Badge Zine's editor and some contributors, Jane Wong, Rachel Harrison, Joe Pompeo, & others.