Ben Kinmont

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Antinomian Press

Ben Kinmont Bookseller
Selected Biography

Ben Kinmont

Born Burlington, Vermont, USA, 7 October 1963.

A brief explanation regarding my biography. Projects are listed first as they are the most important to me and are not usually supported by the structure of the "solo show" or "group show" categories. They also often blur boundary between publication and exhibition so are difficult to distinguish from bibliography. The list of publications entitled "Catalytic Texts" are those flyers and statements which were written to cause something to happen during a project.

Projects

On-going:   Sometimes a nicer sculpture is to be able to provide a living for your family, an antiquarian bookselling business specializing in books and manuscripts about domestic economy and food, begun 1999. Bookseller catalogues issued, www.kinmont.com, and a publication entitled “Sometimes”
    Antinomian Press, an on-going publication project concerning project art, begun 1996.
     
2005   Project Series: Christopher D'Arcangelo, A public publishing project in front of the Louvre and then distributed indside the Louvre, with students from the Ecol nationale des beaux arts, Bourges, Vincent Romagny of CNEAI, and the team from Air de Paris
    An Exhibition in Your Mouth, Montpellier
     
2004   This isn't it, Musee d'Art Contemporain Lyon, ICA London, Muzeum Sztuki Lodz
     
2003   Shhhh, Chatou
    This is not art, with Jacob Fabricus, Brooklyn
     
2002   Moveable type no documenta, Kassel
    An Exhibition in Your Mouth, Montpellier
     
2000   Sometimes,Restaurant le Petit Diable, Toulouse.
The third sculpture; or, an exhibition concerning spaces in between, Documents sur l'art, Dijon: Le Consortium, no. 12, 2000, pp. 34-57.
     
1998   Vietnam War Ads; or, your bibliography is our sculpture, a curatorial project reprinting of artists' ads against the Vietnam War, Nordiska Museum, catalogue and brochure
     
1997   Parasite, a collaborative discursive project with 17 other artists in various host organizations and homes
Agency, research into the viability of a new form of representation for project work, supported by Creative Time
The possibilities of trust as a sculpture and the question of value for each participant, various homes.
Promised Relations; or, thoughts on a few artists' contracts, a curatorial project first at Ac Project Room, NY, catalogue.
Prospectus, on the street, in a stranger's home, and in Basilico Fine Arts, NY, flyer.
It's easier to talk about art while washing dirty dishes, Wadsworth Athenaeum, CT and Sunderland Arts Centre, Sunderland, UK, catalogue.
The materialization of life into alternative economies, a curatorial project first at Printed Matter, NY
If you smile at me, on the street, New York City, catalogue.
     
1995   Exchange, first at agnes b., New York City, catalogue.
We both belong, http://adaweb.walkerart.org/influx/kinmont/bk1.html (now at the Walker Art Center) and in various homes.
Somebody's SoHo, on the steet and with various community health organizations, New York City, flyer.
Beautiful, in a friend's home
Congratulations, Diverseworks, Houston
Help, in a collector's home, Portland, OR
Forse, Perhaps, on the street and in two homes, Venice, Italy, catalogue and flyer.
     
1994   Ich werde Ihr schumtziges Geschirr waschen, I will wash your dirty dishes, on the street and in people's homes in Munich, catalogue and flyer.
Beautiful, Newlyn, Newlyn, UK, sponsored by the Newlyn Art Gallery, catalogue.
Bed Service, Phoenix Hotel, San Francisco
     
1993   For you for me for painting, on the street and in Sandra Gering Gallery, NY, flyer.
Welcome Home, Woodbury, NY
     
1992   I need you, on the street, NY, flyer.
     
1991   A prayer for greater compassion in the art world, with various priests
Waffles for an opening, White Columns and in my home, NY
I trust you, I take you, Four Walls, Brooklyn
     
1990   I am for you, Ich bin fur Sie, on the street, NY and Cologne, four flyers.
     
1989   Kitchen Table, in my home, NY

Catalytic Texts (by first lines)

Touching the other to pace the space in between,
From “Promised Relations; or, thoughts on a few artists’ contracts,” New York: Antinomian Press, 1996.
 
Let us be known by what we believe in.
From “Prospectus,” New York: Antinomian Press, 1996.
 
Your philanthropy is our sculpture.
From Somebody’s SoHo, New York: Antinomian Press, 1996.
 
And alone, we live. together.
From the catalogue for “The Materialization of Life: into alternative economies.” NY: Antinomian Press, 1996.
 
Passing through to another for finding out.
From the catalogue for “Contemporaneous: New Work from New York,” Penzance: Newlyn Art Gallery, 1996.
 
We both belong. Thank you for entering this shared space, our third sculpture.
From “We both belong” on www.adaweb.com., 1995.
 
Perhaps. Slow down.
From “Forse, Perhaps,” New York: Self-Published, 1995.
 
Please slow down and listen.
From Ich werde Ihr schmutziges Geschirr waschen, I will wash your dirty dishes, New York: Self-Published, 1994.
 
We are here to give away 23 paintings.
New York: Self-Published, 1993.
 
I need you to help me make a sculpture.
From “I need you,” New York: Self-Published, 1992.
 
We are the social sculpture!...This moment is for you.
From “I am for you, Ich bin fur Sie,” New York and Cologne: Self-Published, 1992.
 
We are the social sculpture!...From one to another I am for you.
From “I am for you, Ich bin fur Sie,” New York and Cologne: Self-Published, 1991.
 
We are the social sculpture!...I wish to share an understanding of life.
From “I am for you, Ich bin fur Sie,” New York and Cologne: Self-Published, 1991.
 
We are the social sculpture!...I wish to open up our understanding of life.
From “I am for you, Ich bin fur Sie,” New York and Cologne: Self-Published, 1991.
 
During the time of Casual Ceremony.
From “Waffles for an opening,” New York: Self-Published, 1991.

Exhibitions

2005 Air de Paris, Paris
   
2004 Random Gallery, Paris
Expat Art Centre, ICA London, Musee d'art contemporain Lyon, Muzeum Sztuki Lodz, curated by Mathieu Copeland
   
2003 CNEAI, Chatou
25th International Biennial of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana, curated by Christophe Cherix
Extra Art: A survey of artists' ephemera, 1960-1999, ICA London, curated by Steven Leiber
What's the use, Jean Paul Slusser Gallery, University of Michigan, curated by Heather Nicols
   
2002 Subtiles elegances, La Galerie, Noisy le Sec
Touch: Relational Art from the 1990s to Now, San Francisco Art Institute, curated by Nicolas Bourriaud
La vie devant soi/Life ahead of you, Frac Languedoc-Roussillon, Montpellier & Centre d’art contemporain, Albi, curated by Ami Barak, Paul Ardenne, & Jackie Ruth Meyer
Documenta 11, Kassel, Germany
Ideal Avalance, curated by Michelle Grabner & Brad Killam, The Pond, Chicago
   
2000 L’Oeuvre Collective/ Collective Art Work, curated by Pascal Pique, les Abattoirs, Art Contemporain, Toulouse
Contact, curated by Nicolas Bourriaud, Fri Art, Centre d’Art Contemporain, Fribourg
Worthless (Invaluable), curated by Carols Basualdo, Moderna galerija Ljubljana/Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana, Slovenia
   
1999 Crash, Institute of Contemporary Art, London
   
1998 Insertions, curated by Carlos Basualdo, various museums, Stockholm
   
1997 ada’web: map the gap, Storefront for Art and Architecture, NY
do it, curated by Hans-Ulrich Obrist, various museums
   
1996 Selections from the Mab Library, Ac Project Room, NY
In the flow: alternative authoring strategies, Franklin Furnace, NY
Joint Venture, curated by Nicolas Bourriaud, Basilico Fine Arts, NY
After the Fact, curated by James Rondeau, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford
We both belong: archive and distribution, Printed Matter, NY
   
1994 Are you experienced?, Andrea Rosen, NY
Presque Rein, Galerie Jennifer Flay, Paris
Zwischen Menschen, curated by Katherina Keller, Munich
   
1993 Sandra Gering Gallery, NY
   
1992 Galerie Ricke, Cologne
   
1991 The Projected Audience, Four Walls, Brooklyn
Casual Ceremony, White Columns, NY
   
1990 Program 8, Galerie Ricke, Cologne
Artworks/Artworkers, Ac Project Room, NY
   
1989 Tom Cugliani Gallery, NY
   
1988 Jarg Geismar, Ben Kinomont, Thom Merrick, Tom Cugliani Gallery, NY
True Democracy, White Columns, NY

Books, Catalogues, Articles, Interviews, & Reviews

Purves, Ted, ed. What we want is free. SUNY Press: New York, 2005, pp. Ix, 61-74, 166, 171, 179-80.
Trembley, Nicolas. “Pignon sur rue,” in Numero, no. 53, May 2004, p. 50.
“Hard Core,” in Pacemaker, no. 4, Paris, 2004.
Catalogue. 25th International Biennial of Graphic Art, 2003, Ljubljana: International Centre of Graphic Arts, pp. 176-77.
Now entering Brooklyn, Public Art Fund: New York, 2003, cover and pp. 33 & 36.
Cothenet, Eric. “A New bibliography of perfume books,” in Private Library, 5th series, Vol. 5:4, 2002, pp. 179-95.
Grabner, Michelle. Documenta's Foil: Ben Kinmont, in Bridge Magazine, 2002.
On Kawara, Phaidon Press: London, 2002, pp. 26-27.
Cothenet, Eric. “Une Biblio esstentielle sur le parfum,” in Le magazine du Bibliophile, no. 38, June 2004, pp. 28-29.
Catalogue. Documenta11_Platform 5: Ansstellung/Exhibition Kurzführer/Short Guide, Cantz, [2002], pp. 138-39.
Catalogue. Documenta11_Platform 5: Exhibition, Cantz, [2002], pp. 380-81, & 574.
Catalogue. Documenta11_Platform 5: Exhibition Venues, Cantz, [2002], pp. 14-16.
Catalogue. Extra Art: A survey of Artists' Ephemera, 1960-1999, CCAC & Smart Art Press, 2001, pp. 44-45, 93, & 163.
Catalogue. Worthless (Invaluable): the concept of value in contemporary art. Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana: M'Ars, 2000, pp. 54-55.
"On Insertions: A dialogue between Carlos Basualdo & Ben Kinmont", in Produit d'entretiens, 0 Issue, pp. 29-37, published as a magazine within Documents sur l'Art, no. 12, 2000.
Margo True, “A Menu of Food Books,” in Saveur Magazine, December, 1999, No. 39, pp. 32-33.
Michelle Grabner, New Art Examiner, "Test Family: Children in Contemporary Art," October 1999, pp. 22-23 & 60.
Anon., News and Comment, in The Book Collector, Winter 1999, p. 585.
Robert J. Hughes, “Cooking Into the Past,” in The Wall Street Journal, December 31, 1999, p. W12.
"On the Loss of a Three-Letter Word," by Bill Arning in Food Culture: Tasting Identities and Geographies in Art, Ed. by Barbara Fischer, Toronto: YYZ Books, 1999, pp. 81-87.
"Untitled Artists Projects by Janine Antoni, Ben Kinmont, Rirkrit Tiravanija", Interviews with Laura Trippi, in Eating Culture, Scapp and Seitz, eds., New York: SUNY Press, 1998, pp. 132-142.
Cream, London: Phaidon Press, 1998, essay by Carlos Basualdo, pp. 224-227.
Catalogue, Deep Storage, Munich: Siemans, 1998, essay by Jon Ipollito entitled "Given: The Universe. Shown: Every Artwork", pp. 157-64.
Hoffberg, Judith, Umbrella, (October, 1997), vol. 20, no. 3/4, p. 92.
Dunleavy, M.P. World Art Magazine, "The View From the Street", no. 3, 1996, pp. 52-56.
Arning, Bill. Bomb Magazine, "Editor's Choice", Summer, 1996, p. 9.
Anon. The New Yorker, “Only Connect: Web Sightings”, 22 April 1996, p. 18.
Ippolito, Jon. Flash Art, "Out of the darkness and into the loop", April 1995, p. 69.
Weil, Benjamin. Flash Art, "Ouverture: Ben Kinmont", Summer 1994, p. 114.
Sonna, Brigit, Suddeutsche Zeitung, "Wie die Kunst so spült", 20 May 1994, no. 115, p. 15.
Faust, Gretchen. Arts, "The Projected Audience", February 1992, pp. 83-84.
Faust, Gretchen, Arts, "Casual Ceremony", March 1992, p. 79.
Goodrow, Gerard. ARTnews, "Ben Kinmont at Rolf Ricke", November 1992.
Catalogue, Casual Ceremony, Bill Arning, White Columns, NYC, 1991.

Antinomian Press Publications

Project Series: Archive Contracts.
Paris: Antinomian Press, 2005. A4 size. One black and white illustration. [18] pp., 250 copies printed.
 
Project Series: Christopher D’Arcangelo.
Paris: Antinomian Press, 2005. Two color reproductions and numerous black and white illustrations, pp. [68], printed in front of the Louvre and on the street in 250 copies; additional copies printed at Air de Paris.
 
Gastronomy: Catalogue Nine.
[Sebastopol: Antinomian Press, 1 November 2004]. 19cm x 12.5cm. One color illustration and numerous black & white illustrations in the text. 206, [2] pp. Green Fabriano paper wrappers, stamped in white foil, perfect bound, printed in 1000 copies.
 
This isn’t it.
Sebastopol: Antinomian Press, 2004, an envelope for containing color photographs from the project, 500 copies, printed by Patrick Reagh.
 
Life at Home & in Nature: Catalogue Eight.
[New York & Sebastopol: Antinomian Press, 14 May 2003]. 19cm x 12.5cm. Numerous black & white illustrations in the text. 126, [2] pp. Blue Fabriano paper wrappers, stamped in white foil, perfect bound, printed in 750 copies.
 
Life at Home & in Nature: Catalogue Seven.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 20 January 2003]. 19cm x 12.5cm. Five color illustrations and numerous black & white illustrations in the text. 150, [2] pp. Light-brown Fabriano paper wrappers, stamped in white foil, perfect bound, printed in 750 copies.
 
Life at Home & in Nature: Catalogue Six.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 9 August 2002]. 19cm x 12.5cm. Seven color illustrations and numerous black & white illustrations in the text. 175, [1] pp. Yellow-orange Fabriano paper wrappers, stamped in white foil, perfect bound, printed in 750 copies.
 
An Exhibition in Your Mouth.
[New York:] Antinomian Press, 25 June 2002. 46.5cm x 23.5 cm. Letterpress on pale blue paper. 500 copies printed.
 
Ben Kinmont, Bookseller: A list of fifty books and MSS for sale concerning gastronomy, perfume, beauty, domesticity, & life in the country.
[New York:] Antinomian Press, 14 May 2002. 52.5cm x 39.5cm. Letterpress on pale blue paper. 500 copies printed.
 
Perfume: Catalogue Five.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 22 April 2002]. 19cm x 12.5cm. Eight color illustrations and numerous black & white illustrations in the text. 118, [1] pp. White Fabriano paper wrappers printed in purple and green ink, perfect bound, printed in 1200 copies.
 
Eat, Drink, & Be Merry! A holiday list of gastronomy.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 21 November 2002]. Compact Disk with file as a PDF. Numerous color and black and white illustrations. 133, [1] pp. 750 copies made.
 
Sometimes.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 8 January 2002.] 19cm x 12.5cm. One black and white plate in the text. 7, [1] pp. Light-brown Fabriano paper wrappers, stamped in white foil, saddle-stitched, printed in 500 copies.
 
Gastronomy: Catalogue Four.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 9 July 2001.] 19cm x 12.5cm. Five color plates and numerous black & white illustrations in the text. 173, [3] pp. Green Fabriano paper wrappers, stamped in white foil, perfect bound, printed in 1200 copies.
 
Gastronomy: Catalogue Three.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 22 September 2000.] 19cm x 12.5cm. Four color plates and numerous black & white illustrations in the text. 138, [2] pp. Brown-grey Fabriano paper wrappers, stamped in white foil, perfect bound, printed in 1200 copies.
 
Eat, Drink, & Be Merry! A holiday list of gastronomy.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 5 November 2000.] 19cm x 12.5cm. Printer’s device on colophon page, illustration on lower wrapper. 70, [2] pp. Perfect bound, printed in 1400 copies.
 
Gastronomy: Catalogue Two.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 14 December 1999.] 19cm x 12.5cm. Five color plates (three of which are on one folding leaf) & numerous black & white illustrations in the text. 146, [2] pp. Grey Fabriano paper wrappers, stamped in white foil, printed on white and pink paper, perfect bound, printed in 1200 copies.
 
Gastronomy: Catalogue One.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 17 June 1999.] 19cm x 12.5cm. Numerous black & white illustrations in the text. 127, [1] pp. Red Fabriano paper wrappers, stamped in white foil, perfect bound, printed in 1200 copies.
 
Vietnam War Ads; or, your bibliography is our sculpture.
White T-shirt with text in “missile red” printed as a catalogue to be worn. [New York: Antinomian Press, March 1998.] 500 copies printed.
 
Student Series: Bring With You.
[Bloomfield Hills, MI, Cranbrook Academy of Art: Antinomian Press, 6 December 1998.] One illustration in the text (printer’s device). 11 leaves. Full sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch sheets of light yellow paper (oblong), photocopied, stapled in the upper left corner, 150 copies printed.
 
Project Series: Lee Lozano.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 14 February 1998.] One illustration in the text (printer’s device). 23 leaves. Full sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch sheets of purple paper (oblong), photocopied, stapled in the upper left corner, 150 copies printed.
 
Project Series: Paula Hayes.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 19 November 1997.] One illustration in the text (printer’s device). [12] leaves. Full sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch sheets of light green paper (oblong), photocopied, stapled in the upper left corner, 100 copies printed.
 
Exchange.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 30 October 1997.] Two illustrations in the text (both printer’s devices). [7] leaves. Full sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch sheets of light purple paper (oblong), photocopied, stapled in the upper left corner, 50 copies printed.
 
Somebody’s SoHo.
[New York: Antinomian Press, 26 June 1997.] Two illustrations in the text (both printer’s devices). [6] leaves. Full sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch sheets of light purple paper (oblong), photocopied, stapled in the upper left corner, 50 copies printed.
 
Promised Relations: or, thoughts concerning a few artists’ contracts.
[New York: Antinomian Press, December 1996.] 8vo. Illustrations in the text. 27, [1] pp. Offset printing on pale blue paper, paper label on upper wrapper, saddle-stitched, 500 copies printed.
 
if you smile at me.
28 cm x 21.5 cm, An exhibition in publication format, photocopy on cardstock, [New York: Antinomian Press, June 1996], unlimited edition. Deluxe edition printed as a white T-shirt, printed green background with black text, only about five made.
 
Materialization of Life into alternative economies.
[New York: Antinomian Press, April 1996.] 8vo. Illustrations in the text. 25, [2] pp. Letterpress dust-jacket in three different colors (off-white, beige, or green), book printed in offset, saddle-stitched with dustjacket, 500 copies printed.