Spineless Wonders
Spineless Wonders is an international 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 Study; The Department of Art & Performance, Manchester School of Art, Manchester Metropolitan University; and department of English, Dundee University; UCL Special Collections, Modernism, Rare Book and Manuscript collections; Senate House Library, University of London; department of English, Stanford University, Stanford CA; and other university and public libraries.
Activities and events
We organised 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 took 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
- 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
- May 5 2023: The Zine, Type And Script
- November 17 2023: Spineless Wonders of Wales: poetry, presses and zines. Co-sponsored by Stanford University and the National Library of Wales, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru.
These research events aimed to address issues of the history and unique relevance of small press publications and ephemera, in particular those without a spine, Spineless Wonders. We made 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.
Associated Events
Celebrating the Legacies of Black Ink
Brixton Tate Library
Friday, 19 May 2023, 7.00pm to 9.00pm
An evening with Desrie Thomson-George, who presented at Spineless Wonders, 2022, co-founder of the Black Ink Collective, will tell its story with readings and performances by Kadija George Sesay, Sandra Agard, Jason Lee, Derek Owusu, and Stxkz to commemorate the 45th Anniversary of its birth.
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
logos
SW partners Aber
Activities and events
We organised 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 took 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
- 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 aimed to address issues of the history and unique relevance of small press publications and ephemera, in particular those without a spine, Spineless Wonders. We made 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 were framed within the Slade 150th Anniversary Year including works and presentations by Slade alumni. The spring session was followed the Slade Small Press Project, February 19, 2022 featuring student publications, generated by Slade Printmaking and Poetry Shed workshops.
Associated events
June 21 2021: Spineless Spotlights: Pamphlets from Senate House Library’s Collections online via the Institute of English Studies, University of London
Related Events
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Spineless Wonders: The Zine, Type And Script
This is part of a series of events presenting research on small press publications, raising questions for contemporary and future publications.
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Spineless Wonders: In Touch
This latest in the Spineless Wonders series of events looks at small press and artists’ publications through the theme of touch. Artists, makers, academics...
Contributors
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Sharon Morris
Professor of Fine Art