Join us for the Angel Tape book launch by Merja Kokkonen on Tuesday June 21st at 6pm. There will be a brief discussion about the book and its mysterious contents between the artist and the publisher, Antti Nylén, who also designed, manufactured and bound the digitally printed artist’s book.

Where is the “angel”, and why “tape”?
Why a book?
How do you “read” a book without any written text?

Should these questions remain without answers, Merja Kokkonen will, after the introduction, shed some light on them by performing as Islaja.

Islaja is Kokkonen’s recording and performance project active since the early 2000s. A parallel, but independent recording project, also called “Angel Tape”, will be published later.

Angel Tape is a 44-page artist’s book by Merja Kokkonen, published by Bokeh Editions, in an edition of 100 copies. It is based on 27 monotypes that Kokkonen printed in her studio in Berlin during the first half of 2021 using a vintage printmaking press originating from the early 20th century. Each copy includes one original print, used as the endpapers of the work. The book has very little textual content, just a separate “data sheet” that explains the technical details in six languages.

The book is for sale at the event. Welcome!

Merja Kokkonen is a Berlin-based artist and singer, currently living in Helsinki. At the moment, her visual work is on display at Turun Taidehalli, Turku, in a group exhibition by fellow artists Laura Naukkarinen and Jonna Karanka. The exhibiton is called Electric Spaniel – Wild Nights and will be on show until July 10th. Angel Tape is the first time she is exhibiting her work in book form.

Bokeh Editions is a Helsinki-based publishing project, active since 2020 and run by Antti Nylén. The project focuses on small print publications and artist’s books, DIY made and always in strictly limited editions, combining publishing practices from the fields of literature and contemporary art. Bokeh is supported by Kone Foundation.