Anne Waggot Knott was one of the four people awarded the ‘My Artful Way’ commission.
Anne chose to respond to the invitation of making an ‘artful way’ by considering borders, how we draw them, interpret them, and cross over and between them. Cumbria has five land-based borders with other counties: Anne made five walks, some in company and some solitary, to cross these borders. Her creative response takes the form of five sculptural books.
“We cannot map our own region in isolation; we must reach across our borders and connect with neighbouring places and ideas. Climb on board as Bibliotreks celebrates journeys to the periphery.”
Anne calls on the inspirational power of open books, whisking us off on expansive voyages beyond our own bubble. She lays bare her studio practice: abstract bookbinding, printmaking, writing, filmmaking and playful sculpture.
The books are handbound using artist’s proofs, misprints, and recycled materials, gently encouraging us to consider our relationship with the environment. Themes of water, shelter, energy, and navigation come and go. Investigate the work slowly and thoughtfully. Connecting can be a gradual process and we may not understand everything. Negotiating difference and division is not always easy.
Bibliotreks is a work in progress. The topmost book represents future journeys, creative connections not yet made. It is the opening of our next chapter.
Anne has contributed blogs on each stage of her journey. You can find links to these blogs, and read more about her work, on her page here.
