10 Years of Artist’s Block

There was our inaugural block (Issue 2, 2013) by Sara Cwynar, a clear acrylic cube loaded with tropical fruits. Jennifer Murphy’s block (Issue 4, 2014) was an entire ecosystem — of birds, cocooning moths, grasshoppers and spiders — living in delicate harmony. Contrast that with Naomi Yasui’s clay block (Issue 14, 2017) emerging from a bucket of silty water or Dean Drever’s perfect cube constructed of one-eighth-inch birch dowels (Issue 17, 2018). And then there was Katie Bethune-Leamen’s so-called cuddly cube (Issue 16, 2018) featuring ceramic arms embracing a hunk of nubbly bits.

“I think a good block is identifiable as a work by that artist and shows what is unique about their practice,” says Catherine Dean, Block’s long-standing photo and illustration editor. Dean has been key to casting a wide net and sourcing contributors, from Cwynar back in 2013 to the present day. “It helps to have an example by a well-respected artist when you’re asking other artists to contribute,” says Dean when asked how Cwynar’s block set the stage. “It shows that artists can work in their own style and that the block form is the only constraint.”

For Dean, choosing a favourite from the catalogue is a harder task, “especially since there’s so much variety,” she says. “We’ve been fortunate to work with so many incredible artists over the years, and every block is unique and surprising,” a decade-long testament to the creative mind and spirit and the capacity to take a simple assignment and turn out something entirely original.

“That’s the best part,” she says. “Artists see things in ways you can’t anticipate.”