Bouquiniste Mobile Project Launch at EBA

Members of the Bouquinistes Collective launched our project, The Bouquiniste Mobile, at Enriched Bread Artists (951 Gladstone) on Saturday July 6 from 2 to 4 pm. Like the Bouquinistes of Paris from which the group takes its name, used booksellers on the banks of the Seine, the Bouquinistes of Ottawa mean to operate outside of official channels and contribute to the circulation of ideas.

Installation view, Bouquiniste Mobile Silent Auction, EBA July 6

The project brings together three text-based artists living in the Ottawa area (including myself, Mana Rouholamini and Guillermo Trejo) through a platform developed by a local artist, Adam Brown, whose work can be characterized as social practice, enabling each to present their work in a dynamic way to an audience that might not necessarily be an art audience.

Installation view, Bouquiniste Mobile book sale, EBA July 6

Inspired by Brown’s Friendship Library, a 2014 installation on the grounds of the Arts Court which provided a temporary shelter and transformed public space into a site of cultural activity, the Bouquinistes Collective have made it their mandate to provide an accessible experience of art. The Bouquiniste Mobile can be maneuvered to capitalize on opportunities for public engagement and disseminate artworks where people gather, at parks, festivals and other events.

To raise funds for the project, there will be a silent auction of artworks by collective members as well as a fabulous used book sale! Tea and snacks will be provided. Come to the EBA to learn about the project, get some great deals and chat with the artists. More information about the Bouquiniste Mobile is available on the project's website.