Minneapolis, Minnesota

Five years ago on my way back home, I visited Minneapolis, Minnesota. At the time Jeff Rathermel was Executive Director of the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis. I took the time to drop by and view the exhibition Directed: The Intersection of Book, Film and Visual Narrative exhibition. I was pleased to participate with my artists’ book Decades Apart in this juried exhibition. Jeff was kind in showing me around the show and the MCBA.

© 2012 Louise Levergneux. Decades Apart

With no knowledge at the time that Kate Burke — a Minneapolis artist who has a recognized career in both public art and painting — was chosen to design manhole covers for the Nicollet Mall in the city.

The Nicollet Mall underwent a redesign by James Corner, designer of the High Line in NYC in 2017. The original manhole covers installed in 1992 were removed, cleaned and reinstalled. Nicollet Mall is comprised of 75 covers with eleven unique designs each cast seven times. The new concrete walkway has an etched leaf, branch and a basket weave design. This is the new home of the manhole covers.

To my surprise, while researching streets on Google Map for City Shields, an on-going project, I noticed a wonderful manhole cover. What dismay! I had overlooked the opportunity to photograph some of the most uniquely designed covers for my series. I was devastated! Researching till I discovered the name of the artist and communicated with Kate Burke and later featured her work on one of my blog posts. It’s been a year ago almost to the day. I visited Minneapolis at the end of September 2018 and walked Nicollet Mall to find most of the manhole covers designed by Kate. I was thrilled! I photographed in late afternoon while walking in the drizzle most of the 13 blocks of Nicollet Mall.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Haralson Apples, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. The Loon, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Northern Pike, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Lady Slippers, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Wild Rice, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Corn, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Oats, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Norway Pine, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. The Walleye, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Wheat, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. The Timber Wolf, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

©2018 Michael Sutton. Walking over the famous Walleye on the sidewalks of Nicollet Mall on September 27, 2018.

© 2018 Kate Burke. Norway PIne, manhole cover, when it was first installed, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Kate Burke. Oats, manhole cover when it was first install, designed by Kate Burke.

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Have you seen a unique manhole cover lately? If so, where?

Another volume? Not sure, I have other projects I would like to accomplish, but one never knows.

The 6 Foot Drop

“I always assume that the person unpacking/re-packing has never worked in a gallery before, that they are an 18-year-old trainee and it's their first day on the job.” 

An artist’s response to my query on packing and re-packing works of art for an exhibition.

In the recent past, I received an artists' book back from a show. It was in its original box, bravo! for matching the box to the artist’s work. Here, the problem was inside the box. The book sat atop a very thin sheet of bubble pack with no protection for its top or sides. I have no qualms in mentioning that the bottom had no protection either. I phoned the gallery and their response was “The gallery ships the books the same way they arrive! 

Of course, for security measures, I pack my books with no protection to survive USPS or UPS delivery. SURE!

Who oversees the procedures for return shipping? Anyone?

© 2017 Louise Levergneux

I don’t believe my book would have survived the six-foot drop the Saskatchewan Craft Council recommends for shipping artwork. If damage had occurred to my artists’ book, who would have been responsible?

“Do you feel a gallery should have insurance for damage, theft, and return shipping conditions”?

In my opinion, the gallery is also responsible for how it takes care of books/work while in their possession.

An experienced binder like Monique Lallier insists on having her bindings and boxes exhibited under glass. Even with her demand one of her gorgeous boxes got a corner banged up. How do we limit these type of accidents or carelessness from happening?

Artists, librarian, curators, and staff should read the article Proper Care and Handling of Books by the Library of Congress.

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This brings us to insurances! “Who should pay the insurance costs?

This year I made a conscious decision to no longer exhibit my work in galleries without the artists work insured for the duration of a show. According to a Boise gallery, an invited artist should not refuse to exhibit hundreds of dollars worth of work for lack of insurance on the gallery’s part. Most galleries make sure with their contract that they are not responsible for any stolen/damaged artwork. I realize we always take a chance when exhibiting, but the galleries/curators need to take responsibility. How, would galleries survive without us?

One can’t place all galleries in the “I will never exhibit there again” category. 

A few galleries are superb at taking responsibilities, I have found 23 Sandy Gallery in Portland and the MCBA in Minnesota, both respectful of book artists and their work.

© 23 Sandy Gallery

Food for thought! Make sure you are content with the understanding between the gallery and the artist. Read the contract carefully; if you don’t like what’s written, say no to the invitation. Better not to exhibit than to be sorry. 

“Don’t forget during your decision-making that there is a tendency for the artist to be the last person considered when people are thinking about money and art”—Cathryn Miller

Be aware and make good decisions... Enjoy your exhibitions without regrets!

Tasks...

Tasks at hand this week in my 1/2 Measure Studio... 

The gallery walls of Ming Studios are freshly painted and the pedestals are more or less prepared.

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, Ming Studio Space

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, Ming Studio, pedestals being painted

I finished the volumes of City Shields, had a couple of boo-boos, re-print time!

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, City Shields oops!

Spent three days in Salt Lake City for business and pleasure. Taking some time off to relax.

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, hiking in the Dimple Dell Gully Trailhead in Sandy, Utah

Received my prints from WhiteWall Photo Lab in Germany. They look great, it’s nice to see the pages of my artists' books in large format.

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, prints for the show

I cataloged my books for the exhibition and I’m anticipating the big event at Ming Studios.

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, six artists' books plus 78 volumes of City Sheilds

Thinking of submitting to the MCBA Prize—an international artists’ book award. Here are the links for the submission guidelines and the Book Art Biennial. Good luck to all who submit!

Drafting text for a grant, eager for newer and better equipment.

Twittered for the first time!! 

An interesting and busy week filled with preparations.

Last, but not least, excited to finish a prototype of a recently developed artists' book. Will take photos next week.