15.11.16

Honoured to have collaborated with Viorica Hrincu and Melissa Soleski on Moniker Press’ newly released publication; fol.cl. In this collaborative poetry chapbook about entanglement, writer Viorica Hrincu and illustrator Melissa Soleski combine poetry and drawings to explore themes of hair, loss and the reorientation of oneself in relation to standards of feminine beauty.

Poetry — Viorica Hrincu
Illustrations — Melissa Soleski
Layout — Erica Wilk & Melissa Soleski

Edition of 150
Risograph printed and Published by Moniker Press
Vancouver, BC — 2016

at this point,
even a cough
gently encourages
my hair to aggregate
into clumps.
I’m sure it’s never
been this easy to
gather individuals towards
a common goal.
On the floor,
shower walls
-classic spectators
of people
who are falling
apart.

—  Excerpt from the poem air.h by Viorica Hrincu.

fol.cl — Book Launch & Reading
Friday, November 25th, 2016
2-236 E Pender
7 to 10pm

“Join the Vancouver Art Book Fair at our Monthly Open Studio: fol.cl, a book launch and reading for Moniker Press’ newly released risograph publication by the same name.”

“As women, we’re told that it’s only acceptable to have hair on our heads, and literally nowhere else on our bodies.”
— Viorica Hrincu

Poet and scientist Viorica Hrincu is bald. She was diagnosed with alopecia a less than a year ago. Alopecia only affects hair growth and is neither painful nor life-threatening. The poems in fol.cl draw from Viorica’s experience, uncovering a sense of empowerment through loss. Combined with the delicate illustrations of Melissa Soleski, the publication not only deals with societal views on beauty, but also explores the inner and even biological connection between hair and identity.

Poetry reading will begin at 8pm. Copies of fol.cl will be available at the event for $20.

10.28.16

NEW IN THE SHOP:  Puddle Popper pt 2 is a collaborative publication by Vancouver based artists, Juli Majer, Melanie Thibodeau, Sarah Davidson and Sonja Ratkay. As a collective they explore ‘play’ as an overlapping theme. ‘Puddle Popper pt. 2′ is a result of the artists’ collaborative drawings and collages. These collaborative drawings were also translated into a sculptural installation for the Vancouver Art Book Fair 2016.

The package includes a double sided two-colour risograph poster on cream coloured cardstock (folded so that it can create a stage) as well as four 6″x9″ risograph prints on grey and pink cardstock (that can be framed or cut out into figures.)

Edition of 100
Printed and Published by Moniker Press
Vancouver, BC – 2016

Juli Majer is interested in fractured storytelling / symbolism, and studies translations of movements, emotion and fantasy within her work.

Queer artist Melanie Thibodeau explores the strangeness of having/living in a body; ongoing themes in their work deal with nostalgia and loss, comfort/discomfort, BDSM and politics surrounding gender, sexuality and feminism.

Sarah Davidson investigates fragments as symbols, medium as gendered and delicacy as strategy.

Interdisciplinary artist, poet and researcher Sonja Ratkay primarily explores topics of intuition, mood, states of being and environmental triggers that lead to psychological transformation.

Photo from the Puddle Popper installation at the Vancouver Art Book Fair.

A continuation of their first show, the collaboration began on paper, with all of the artists sitting together and drawing the zine Puddle Popper (available through DDOOGG). The book is like a conversation, and the same mix and match strategy is reflected in how the artists’ sculptures were installed in the gallery, with works combined in surprising ways.

For Puddle Popper Part 2, the artists have started again with a zine, printed in collaboration with Moniker Press. The zine is an activity book of sorts, and was also used for planning the installation.