Whispered Art History: Twenty Years at the Western Front

Whispered Art History: Twenty Years at the Western Front, Wallace, Keith (ed.). Published by Arsenal Pulp Press, Vancouver, B.C., 1993.. 226 pp. Size: 4to – over 9¾” – 12″ tall. First Edition. Inscribed by Hank Bull, a key member of the Western Front (see below). French Flaps. Profusely illustrated in 3 tones. Text block in mint condition, front cover has 3 tiny, light gouges and light overall shelf wear.

An illustrated assessment of the impact of the Western Front, one of the first artist-run centres in Canada. Along with essays on the Front’s remarkable history by Peter Culley, Karen Knights, Judy Radul, Alex Varty and William Wood, the book includes a complete chronology of Western Front events and 150 two-colour photos.

Born in 1949, Hank Bull traveled to Europe in 1968, studied under Robert Markle and Nobuo Kubota at the New School of Art in Toronto, and joined Vancouver’s Western Front in 1973. A multi-faceted artist, he is recognized as an innovator in radio, telecommunications, performance and social practices. As curator, administrator and advocate, he has participated in the development of artist-run culture in Canada and abroad and produced numerous international projects. In 1999 he co-founded Centre A, the Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art. His personal art practice takes place at the intersection of painting, performance, video and sound. His work has been included in the Venice Biennale and Documenta and is present in the collections of the National Gallery of Canada, the New York Museum of Modern Art and other institutions. 002012 $40