New York Public Library Project (NYPLP) 1:
page 22
(Half Folded Library)
Description:
"page 22 (Half Folded Library)" is a site-specific installation in a public library. I folded all the p.22 of half of the entire books in a library. I pretended reading a book. At the same time, I folded slinkingly on a small corner of p.22 at that book. I folded one book, skipped one book, and then folded another book until I folded half of the entire collections in that library. There have 188 bookshelves and almost 31000 books in the library. Therefore, I folded 15500 books. I worked on and off in the library from 2008-3-6 to 2008-6-24. Actual working days are almost 1 month. The media of this art piece is a library. If audiences want to see the artwork, they need to go inside the library or borrow the books out.
Artist: Pak Sheung Chuen
Position of the collection:
58th Street Branch Library, 127 East 58th Street [between Park & Lexington Avenue], New York, NY 10022-1211. Close on Sunday.
Website:
http://www.nyplp.blogspot.com/
紐約公共圖書館系列(NYPLP)一： 頁廿二 (半個摺疊的圖書館) 簡介： 《頁廿二(半個摺疊的圖書館)》是一件在圖書館做的裝置藝術(site-specific installation)，我把一間圖書館內一半的藏書中，所有的p.22都摺了一個小角(如圖示)。我一面裝作看書，一面偷偷地摺上書角，我沿著書架走，一本摺，一本不摺，如是者把圖書館約188個書櫃，約31000本書的一半都翻過摺過。我由2008-3-6起斷斷續續做到2008-6-24，實際工作時間約一個月。這件作品以一個圖書館為單位，觀眾需要進入該圖書館或通過圖書館的借閱系統觀看此作品。 創作：白雙全
***
Two three things about "page 22":
(Summarized form the article "Why I did the Private Museum Projects?" on Ming Pao newspaper, Hong Kong, 2008-6-8)
1. "page 22" is the first artwork of my "New York Public Library Projects (NYPLP)". NYPLP consists of 10 projects. They all use public library as an exhibiting place and use the collections of the library as the media/material. I converted a public library to be my private museum.
2. "page 22" recorded an individual, who don't have an identity in a strange city like New York, how to build up his living experience and life value by doing some meaningless behaviors. The winkles of the books are the media to link up an individual to another unknown individuals.
3. "page 22" is an alternative form of graffiti. It opposes to the feeling of an individual being inexistent in a strange city. It also opposes to the institutionalized and commercialized art market in New York. It criticized the rigidifying art exhibition and collection systems.
4. "page 22" is made by the collections (the books) of the library. Therefore, this artwork became an important art collection immediately after the artwork finished. This is a shortcut for your artwork to enter a big institute!
Publisher: Vitamin Creative Space (Guangzhou / Beijing)
Contact: 0086-20-84296760 /
http://www.vitamincreativespace.com/關於《頁廿二》的二三事： (摘自《為何我要做《私人美術館》系列的作品？》, 《明報》2008-6-8) 一：《頁廿二(半個摺疊的圖書館)》是紐約公共圖書館系列的第一件作品，該系列共有十件作品，都是以公共圖書館作為展示地方(Exhibiting Place)，而以該館的藏品作為創作媒介(Media)。使公共圖書館變作私人展示場。二：個體通過這毫無意義的行為，在一個完全陌生的城市去建立自己的存在經驗和價值。書角的摺痕，使自己和別人產生聯繫。三：作品是另一種形式的塗鴉行為，它既對抗在「別人的城市內」那種不被當作「存在」的感覺，它又對抗過度制度化和商品化的紐約藝術圈，以此行為批判這裡的展覽和收藏制度。四：作品通過圖書館的藏品(書本)作為媒介(media)來創作的，所以作品在製作完成後，它就立即成為圖書館的藏品，這是讓大機構收藏作品的一條捷徑。
***
page 22 (Half Folded Library)” is presented as my first solo exhibition in New York. It is a monumental permanent installation the public library. It started at 2008-6-24. Here is the content in the invitation card. (我首個紐約個人展覽“page 22”，作品作為一件圖書館的永久藏品在紐約公共圖書館展出，2008-6-24開始。)
New York Public Library Project (NYPLP) 1:
page 22
Pak Sheung Chuen
First Solo Exhibition in New York City
A Monumental Permanent Installation in Half of a Public Library
Exhibition Started on June 24, 2008
Venue: 58th Street Branch Library
127 East 58th Street [between Park & Lexington Avenue]
New York, NY 10022-1211
Open Hours:
Mon & Wed 12-8
Tue & Thu 10-6
Fri & Sat 10-5
Sun close
Website: www.nyplp.blogspot.com
(Caution: The artwork is hidden inside the library. Please find it out without inquiring the librarians!)
***
“page 22 (Half Folded Library)” was posted on a Hong Kong local newspaper “Ming Pao”, 2008-3-21 (作品《頁廿二》在香港《明報》發表，2008-3-21。)
