Held in an art center at the outskirts of Stockholm, “Labyrinth” collects some 250 “artist’s books” by both Swedish and international contemporary artists and writers. Following the exhibition’s title, the various publications gathered here are intended to constitute a “labyrinth” of “unknown worlds” and “forking paths.” Aside from redundant allusions to Borges (I hope one day to come across a show concerning art and writing that does not allude to the ubiquitous Argentine author), the curatorial team has succeeded in assembling and organizing an excellent selection of works. The show takes the form of a temporary public library: The publications have been placed on shelves in a circle in the center of the main gallery, and each is available for browsing. The “artist’s book” genre is vital but often under-recognized, so the absence of any apparent thematic principles in the selection of works is welcome; because of this, “Labyrinth” is a heterogeneous show, one that demonstrates the variety of methods artists put to use when experimenting with the form of the book. Among the highlights are selections of works published by Metronome Press, each of which interrogate the function of the editor and the structure of the printed publication. Other noteworthy volumes include the book Autistisk Kilskrift (Styx, 2006)—a playful exploration of radical thanatology—and Cecilia Grönberg and Jonas (J) Magnusson’s monumental Omkopplingar (Glänta, 2006), a 1,056-page conceptual inquiry into the relation between art, literature, and telephony.
