MANARAH

is a limited edition bookarts magazine printed letter press.

Every issue presents a collection of poems on one specific theme, the first 3 issues are on war, time and love.

“Manarah” ia an arabic word for lighthouse or in general a place shedding light. It later developed into “minaret”. “Divan” is a Persian word and means a collection of poetry.

Of the first three issues one copy each will be part of the al-Mutanabbi-Street-Inventory project

Artist’s statement

Essay on Annette’s Blog

Covers are linoprints or woodcuts printed directly from block or plate on a hand operated proofing press.

Poems have been hand set from metal type throughout. The collections comprise of poems by English and German writers printed in their original versions.

Issue 1-2011: A Divan of War
Cover: linoprint

Metal type on title: Forum and Schadow
Edition 15 numbered and signed copies
12 pages plus 4 pages of cover, text printed black, size 25x33cm, paper white, 250g, hand sewn with black thread.

With 10 Poems by:
Joseph von Eichendorff, Walter Ferl, Horst Habicht, Bret Harte, Walter Hasenclever, Johann Gottfried von Herder, Klabund, Edlef Köppen, Christian Morgenstern, William Shakespeare, James Shirley

Issue 2-2011: A Divan of Time
Cover: 2 woodcuts

Metal type on title: Amati and Signum
Edition: 24 numbered and signed copies
12 pages plus 4 pages of cover, text printed black, size 25x33cm, paper white, 250g, hand sewn with black thread.

With 9 Poems by:
Thomas Lovell Beddoes, Sir John Davies, William Dunbar, Johann Gottfried von Herder, Ben Jonson, Walter Savage Landor, Jasper Mayne, Ludwig Tieck, Edmund Waller

Issue 3-2011: A Divan of Love
Cover: linoprint
One more linoprint inside: portrait of Joseph von Eichendorff.

Metal type on title: Titula and Rhapsodie
Edition: 24 numbered and signed copies
16 pages plus 4 pages of cover, text printed red, size 25x33cm, paper white, 250g, hand sewn with red thread.

With 13 Poems by:
Otto Julius Bierbaum, Joseph von Eichendorff, Heinrich Heine, Thomas Hood, Detlev von Liliencron, John Boyle O’Reilly, Friedrich Rückert, Albert von Schlippenbach, James Thomson, John Todhunter, Ludwig Uhland

A choice of these poems is available as artist’s cards (Lyricards) at paper-fold.papiergebunden

A selection of the Manarah-poems will be printed in a special limited edition of cards and go to the project for fund-raising at readings and activities joined to exhibitions of the al-Mutanabbi-Street-Inventory artwork. For dates and locations of shows of the project’s artwork see our extra al-Mutanabbi Street website or ask Sarah Bodman at UWE Bristol. In 2012 there will be special activities to commemorate the al-Mutanabbi-Street bombing on March 5th five years ago.