SURPLUS Bena Caina
NOTES ON WORKWEAR Bena Caina i
BETWEEN THE PAGES / IZMEĐU STRANICA Tine Gverović i Bena Caina

Iako se sve tri knjige prilično razlikuju po formi i sadržaju, povezuju ih neke jasne zajedničke preokupacije: rad, radno i neradno tijelo, kolektivnost i nježna vrsta zajedništva.

SURPLUS
Iako je Surplus mala i kompaktna knjiga, poput čvrstog bloka, tiskana je na tankom, jeftinom papiru sličnom novinskom, što je čini osjetljivom. Riječ je o knjizi džepnog formata koja na jednom mjestu okuplja izbor privremenih javnih natpisa koje Ben Cain posljednjih pet godina redovito izrađuje. Novine su svakodnevni, jednokratni, potrošni i gotovo trenutačno zastarjeli oblik javne komunikacije, a natpisi u ovoj knjizi dijele neke od tih karakteristika. Sama kvaliteta papira upućuje na jeftine, pronađene i u konačnici reciklirane materijale vidljive na svakoj stranici ove knjige.
Knjiga donosi izbor iz opsežnog opusa koji je istodobno prolazan i skriven. Natpise reproducirane u ovoj knjizi izvorno je možda vidjelo tek nekoliko ljudi na ulici ili nekoliko ljudi online, u javnom prostoru Instagrama, a sada su arhivirani na jednom mjestu i sačuvani u trajnijem obliku.

Dizajn: Oaza
Meki uvez
Naklada: 100 komada
120 x 160 mm
256 stranica

BETWEEN THE PAGES / IZMEĐU STRANICA
Knjiga Between the Pages / Između stranica suradnja je Bena i Tine. Shvativši da zajedno često rade spontano, neizbježno i neformalno te da se u njihovim zajedničkim, ali i „samostalnim” radovima pojavljuju motivi koji se preklapaju i ponavljaju (primjerice dijelovi tijela, grupne aktivnosti, krajolici i različiti prostori i okruženja), odlučili su napraviti knjigu koja ta preklapanja svjesno prepoznaje i dalje ih razvija.
Koristeći metode kolažiranja, slojevitog komponiranja i jukstapozicije, knjiga objedinjuje nove crteže, slike, AI modele, elemente iz prethodnih umjetničkih radova i materijale nastale kao nusproizvod rada u studiju. Svaka stranica uključuje elemente njihovih pojedinačnih umjetničkih praksi, nastojeći istražiti i dalje razvijati njihove različite načine promišljanja rada, međuljudskog prostora i povezanih sustava podrške.
U knjizi koriste papire iz zaliha (viškova) koji su ostali neiskorišteni nakon prestanka proizvodnje te jeftin papir za pakiranje, dok su kroz cijelu knjigu raspoređene jednobojne naljepnice koje dodatno naglašavaju fokus na proizvodnji, procesu i slučajnim susretima

Između stranica / Between the Pages je realizirana uz podršku Ministarstva kulture i medija Republike Hrvatske i Grada Dubrovnika.

Dizajn: Ben Cain
Tvrdi uvez
Naklada: 150 kom
24,5 x 33,5 cm
52 stranice

NOTES ON WORKWEAR
Knjiga Notes on Workwear okuplja različite projekte, planove, dokumentacije izložbi, pojedinačne umetničke radove i tekstove koji se bave temom suvremenog rada. Uglavnom se usredotočujući na odjeću, kao i na druge predmete i dodatke povezane s tijelom, radom, slobodnim vremenom i vremenom nakon rada, knjiga okuplja radove koje je Ben Cain na ovu temu stvarao posljednjih nekoliko godina. Umjesto da izgleda kao „knjiga umjetnika”, knjiga slijedi relativno konzervativne dizajnerske predloške kako bi oponašala standardne kataloge proizvoda karakteristične za neke od tvrtki za proizvodnju radne odjeće s kojima je Ben surađivao. Knjiga također uključuje tekstove Lee Vene i Tonćija Vladislavića.

Dizajn: Oaza
Meki uvez
Naklada: 100 komada
17 x 23,5 cm
200 stranica

Vidimo se, srijeda 19. 8. u 20:30 sati u ARL.

A small book launch for three different books by Ben Cain and Tina Gverović – Surplus by Ben Cain, Notes on Workwear by Ben Cain and Between the Pages by Tina Gverović and Ben Cain.

Although all three books are quite different in form and content, there are clear overlapping concerns – namely labour, the working and non-working body, and collectivity and a tender sort of togetherness.

Although Surplus is a little solid block of a book, it’s printed on thin low-cost pulp-like paper so it’s a bit delicate. It’s a pocket-sized book which gathers together some of the temporary public signs that Ben has been making on a regular basis for the last 5 years. Newspapers are a daily, throw-away, almost instantly obsolete form of public communication – the signs in this book share some of those characteristics. The paper quality also hints at the low-cost found-and ultimately recycled material that you’ll see on every page in the book. Ultimately the book contains a selection from a body of work that is quite substantial, but also ephemeral and clandestine. The signs reproduced in this book might originally have been seen by a few people in the street, or by a few people online via the public space of Instagram, and now they are archived in one place in a more solid form.
Design by Oaza
Softcover
Edition 100
120 x 160cm
256 pages
€25

Between the Pages is a collaboration between Ben and Tina. Realizing that they often make work together casually, inevitably and unofficially; and that the work they make either together or ‘solo’ tends to involve overlapping motifs (eg body parts, group activity, landscapes and environments), they wanted to make a book which actively acknowledges and further develops those overlaps. Using methods of collage, layering and juxtaposition, the book brings together new drawings, paintings, AI models, elements from previous work and studio byproducts. Each page includes aspects of their respective practices in an attempt to explore and advance their different ways of thinking about work, interpersonal space and related support systems. The book uses dead-stock coloured paper and cheap packaging paper, and monotone stickers are placed throughout the book so as to underline the focus on production, process and chance encounters.

Between the Pages was realised with the kind support of the Ministry of Culture and Media Republic of Croatia, and the City of Dubrovnik.
Design by Ben Cain
Hardcover
Edition 150
24.5 x 33.5cm
52 pages
€25

Notes on Workwear includes various projects, plans, exhibition documentation, single pieces and texts which address the subject of contemporary labour. Focusing mostly on clothing as well as other body-related paraphernalia associated with labour, leisure and post-work, the book brings together work that Ben has made in this area over the last few years. Rather than looking like an ‘artist’s book’, this book follows relatively conservative design templates in order to emulate standard product catalogues that are typical of some of the workwear companies that Ben has collaborated with. The book also includes texts by Lea Vene and Tonći Vladislavić.
Design Oaza
Softcover
Edition 100
17 x 23.5cm
200 pages
€25