Gelatin

Formed in 1993, the Austrian artist collective Gelitin is famed for its participatory works and events, which have followed somewhat in the tradition of Relational Aesthetics. This artist’s book, done in the style of a children’s book, marks a new development in their activities--not as an artist’s book (of which they have produced several), nor as an irreverent, deadpan gesture of humor (ditto), but as a new take on the children’s book. Not quite for children, Boring Island recounts the collective’s 30-day adventure on a small island: “there were animals, hunger, wind, waves, the sun blazed, it was stormy, and endlessly boring.” The book describes Gelitin’s adventures (or “boring” lack of adventures) in diaristic form, and is illustrated throughout with cartoonish watercolor drawings.

The Austrian artist collective formerly known as Gelatin (now Gelitin) is famed for its participatory works and events--a rollercoaster inside a gallery, a singing tunnel, a balcony on one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center, a sculpture made from visitor's frozen urine--presented at shows and biennials internationally since 1994. Exemplars of Nicolas Bourriaud's vision of art as "Relational Aesthetics," Gelitin brooks no humorlessness in its interventions, finding and provoking the "Gelitinesque" wherever it goes. Gelatin's ACB gathers documentation of the group's projects since its formation in 1993, and serves as both an overview of the group's oeuvre to date and a foretaste of projects to come. Photographs, sketches, models, artist statements and essays make this first comprehensive publication on the collective an uplifting Gelitin gesamtkunstwerk in itself. This volume comes with a PAL-compatible DVD, which can be played on international computers and European standard DVD players only.

In the Spring of 2008, the Austrian artist quartet known as Gelitin, professional purveyors of anarchic entertainment and flamboyant creativity to the international art circuit, brought their unpredictable energies to the Musée d'Art moderne de la Ville de Paris for a mid-career retrospective, with sculptures, drawings, knitting, portraits, furniture, lamps, jewelry and pottery. This artist's book cum calendar was produced for the occasion. Commencing on February 29, 2008 (the exhibition's opening date) and ending 10 years later, it is embellished with reproductions of 22 plasticine Mona Lisas by the collective, and comes with a standard wire coat hanger for display purposes. Italian language only.