An artist's book, as I define it, is a conceptual work that is created by the artist himself. The book has a clearly expressed idea governing its entire space. Using various artistic means, the artist creates image and text and binds the book. The artist's book is an integral work of art, or interdisciplinary art, that joins words with images and principles of a traditional book and free art. An artist's book exists either as a unique copy or is created in a limited edition, numbered and signed by the artist. It is created by sculptors and graphic artists, painters and textile artists, ceramists and video masters. The artist's books are flat, two-dimensional or spatial. They are kinetic and existing in the TV monitor, miniature and gigantic.

Kestutis Vasiliunas

The purpose of the "International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius" was to incite artists to create conceptual works which correspond to the offered theme. I wanted to provoke artists to create not only what they could and what they invented in their realm. While rejecting the "beautiful" book conception as being snobbish and commercial, I wanted them to conceptually reflect on the given theme. Not to confine themselves only to their experiences and moods, that was my aspiration. By selecting books for the Triennials a few criteria were taken into regard. Firstly, if books correspond to the subject - matter, secondly - only unique or small editions of professionally created authorized works. I have been organizing Artist's Book Exhibitions for 24 years. The International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius has been organised periodically since 1997. Over this period more than 2,000 artists from 93 countries of the world have submitted artist's books, but an international jury has chosen the best 838 submissions from 65 countries to display at the exhibition. There have been triennial exhibitions not only in Vilnius, but also many times in Leipzig, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Rheine (Germany), Lille (France), Silkeborg (Denmark), Venice and Vercelli (Italy), Seoul (South Korea), Halmstad (Sweden), Salzburg (Austria).

Kestutis Vasiliunas

The 1st International Artist's Book Triennial took part in 1997, in Gallery "Kaire Desine". The theme of it was "Diary: Eight Days". 65 artists from 13 countries took part in the Triennial. The 2nd International Artist's Book Triennial took part in 2000, in Gallery "Arka" and in "Galerie 5020" in Salzburg. The theme of it was "Apocalypse". 138 artists from 29 countries took part in the Triennial. The 3rd International Artist's Book Triennial took part in 2003, in the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius. The theme of it was "23 Sins". 118 artists from 37 countries took part in the Triennial. After the exhibition in Vilnius the Triennial was showed in 2004 in Frankfurt Art Fair in Frankfurt on Main, Germany; in 2004 in Thomas Mannas' House in Nida, Lithuania; in 2004 in Gallery "Le Carre" in Lille, France; The 4th International Artist's Book Triennial took part in 2006, in the Gallery "Arka" in Vilnius. The theme of it was "Rabbit and House". 130 artists from 29 countries took part in the Triennial. After the exhibition in Vilnius the Triennial was showed in 2007 in Leipzig Book Fair in Leipzig, Germany and in Seoul International Book Arts Fair, South Korea. The 5th International Artist's Book Triennial took part in 2009. The theme of it was "Text". For the Triennial jury selected 131 artists from 34 countries. The Triennial was showed in Leipzig Book Fair, in Germany; in Gallery "Arka", in Vilnius; in Art Centre Silkeborg Bad, in Silkeborg, Denmark; in "Hubner Bokform", in Halmstad, Sweden; in "Scuola Internazionale di Grafica", in Venice, Italy. The 6th International Artist's Book Triennial took part in 2012. Theme: "Love". The international jury selected 131 artists from 33 countries for the Triennial. It was showed in "Scuola Internazionale di Grafica", Venice in Italy; in Leipzig Book Fair, Germany; in the Gallery "Titanikas", Vilnius; in Kloster Bentlage, Rheine, Germany. The 7th International Artist's Book Triennial took part in 2015. Theme: "Error". Triennial was showed in Leipzig Book Fair, Germany; in "Museo Leone", Vercelli, Italy; in the Gallery "Titanikas", Vilnius; in Museum der Arbeit, Hamburg, Germany.