Mike Clements is a fine art printmaker and book artist working in the border area between Wales and England. His ideas come from close observation of the world around him, often focusing on quirky aspects of life.
Jiggery-Pokery showcases a wide variety of artist's books mostly made in 2020. They include many about our experiences since the onset of Covid-19 and lockdown. The title of the show is also the title of one of the books 'Jiggery-Pokery' which has an intriguing twist fold structure with the image of Dominic Cummings and his notorious journey from London to Durham and on to Barnard Castle.
He hand-makes small runs of these artist's books, which are on sale via his website. All the books, even the sculptural ones, are flat-packable for easy and safe postal delivery.
Mike said "I'm so glad I found TOD Gallery online. It's a wonderfully inventive solution to the shortage, since Covid-19 began, of exhibition and sales opportunities for artists. TOD's curator Sally Eldars thought my artist's books would work well in the space of an old dresser, so we began planning this show. Sally also gave me huge help in developing the linked video and social media."
Mike's artist’s books are in prestigious public and private collections in Europe, Australia and North America, including the Tate Gallery London and the Yale Center for British Art.
Instagram @mikeclementsartist
Jiggery-Pokery
One of Mike's series of artist's book on well-know words and phrases whose origin we don't immediately appreciate. Illustrated with an image of a notorious incident during the UK's Covid 19 lockdown in Spring 202
The "title" book "Jiggery-Pokery" has an intriguing twist fold structure and an image of Dominic Cummings and his much criticised journey, during lockdown, from London to Durham and on to Barnard Castle.
Type: Twist fold structure
Covid 19 Road Signs
Eleven new road signs on aspects of the Covid19 pandemic. Readers may enjoy identifying/ interpreting what each icon means. Are they part of an official plan to enhance adherence to the rules?
Type: Castellated' binding
Lockdown Times
Lockdown encouraged us to try new and more ambitious cooking. Here are some of the meals we made at home.
Type: Offset concertina – extraordinary sculptural form
Lockdown Abstractions
Eight colourful abstract drawings to lift Mike's mood during lockdown.
Type: Cut and fold structure. iPad drawings
Tickety-Boo
Another artist's book in Mike's series on well-know words and phrases whose origin we don't immediately appreciate. Tickety-Boo originated in British India during WWII as a corruption of "tikai babu", Hindi meaning "it's alright, sir". Adopted by Indian railway workers who though it sounded like a train (try saying "tickety-boo, tickety-boo, tickety-boo…" )
Type: Variant of Turkish mapfold structure.
Colour Swatch
18 random colours from a household paint leaflet highlight the elaborate names manufacturers invent.
Mike calls this structure 'crocodile teeth'. It's a variant on the flag book.
Lost Days
What appears, at first sight, a simple 2020 calendar turns out to have missing, or “lost”, dates – according to various mathematical formulae (prime numbers, Fibonacci series, etc) and simple code messages. There is a list of these on the accompanying envelope, should you tire of working it out for yourself. One in a series of artist’s books on the theme 'lost'.
Type: Jester’s Hat structure invented by Mike.
The Colours of Flooding
A mock paint swatch with colour names reflecting the reality and misery of flooding. The 34 colours range from Dam Burst and Flood Water Grey to Mudflow and Sandbag and on to Swamp Green and Storm Surge.
Type: Double-sided, 4-fold concertina.
On Books
During lockdown some folk took to tidying their houses, including bookshelves. "Shall I arrange my books in order? Will it be alphabetically? Or by subject? Or shall I just give way to randomness?"
Type: Catherine Wheel structure invented by Mike.
The Whole Shebang
The latest in Mike's series on well-know words and phrases whose origin we don't immediately appreciate. A Shebang was originally a north American hut or shack, derived from the Irish shebeen. So the whole shebang meant the shed housing an illegal drinking establishment.
Type: Pop-up card.