Oaza Books
So far we have established several editions. oBOOK / Editions in the field of art, design and research are edited and curated by members of the OAZA Collective. The edition arose from the need to articulate critical views derived from the self-initiated works of OAZA members. aBOOK / Artists’ Books Edition focuses on collaboration with exciting artists from around the globe delivering artists’ books that fuse contemporary art practice, graphic design and publishing. Oaza&Sons / Illustrated Edition brings out a series of intelligent and inspiring illustrated books for children and adults. The series emerged from the belief in transformative power of children’s literature — in its simultaneous act as art, as pedagogy, as ethics and as a political practice. Oaza&Friends / Co-production and co-publishing projects in which members of the OAZA Collective participate in different roles.
“365 routines” is a yearlong choreography composed of a daily exchange of short dance videos alternately shared between visual artist Nina Kurtela and choreographer Hana Erdman. The work culminates in a 48-minute video whereby the 365 videos are edited together to form one long dance phrase. It is an ongoing communication between different environments, locations, languages, identities, spaces, and times. During the daily routines the artists engage in an imaginary space of belonging that is no longer physical or territorial. Dancing becomes home for the two.
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"The artist's experience of being inside art institutions, starting from the effort made to be accepted in order to develop one's art practice, then the experience of going through them, and while in them, the many ways of having to learn how to be inside. This will in several ways inform the development of an artist's practice, for the good or for the bad. Making this publication has been an attempt at recognizing and dealing with, rather than avoiding, the tensions that exist in the relationship between artists and art institutions at a time when most art institutions themselves are under the pressure of austerity-politics."
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The things in this book—mostly cardboard, found things, written things—are not made for galleries and museums. They were produced for small-scale events held on streets, squares or at social centres, and typically they have a very short life expectancy.
Ben Cain's book focuses on art as an activity that might be unannounced, might be clandestine, might be private, and nevertheless takes place in shared spaces—and it wants to generate and participate in public debate.