Developed out of an interest in the strategies of early conceptualism, Micah Lexier’s practice engages documentary and ephemeral approaches to consider systems of measurement and how they relate to the representation of identity. From books, installations and archives to sculpture, Lexier’s ongoing interest in systemization has resulted in his new project for Artspeak. This project, entitled A Number of Things, is a colouring book that presents some of the artist’s favourite conceptual artworks as well as some related objects having to do with counting and measurement. Designed to be accessible, it will be made available to Vancouver area public school children through presentations by the artist, introducing young audiences to idea-based contemporary visual art. The colouring book will also be available at Artspeak.

Available from Artspeak. http://www.artspeak.ca/publications/product_detail.php?itemID=70

Micah Lexier is a Toronto based artist whose work has been shown at the Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver; The New Museum, New York; The British Museum, London; Printed Matter, New York; Gitte Weise Galerie, Berlin; Musee d’art Contemporain, Montreal; the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of Ontario. He is represented in Canada by Trépanier Baer, Calgary and Birch Libralato, Toronto.

Artspeak is a non-profit artist-run centre, established in 1986 and is a registered charitable organization. Our early association with Kootenay School of Writing served to situate Artspeak within a unique interdisciplinary community of writers, poets, critics and visual artists. Artspeak is operated by a group of artists from the visual and language arts who share concerns in relation to the theory and practice of contemporary art. The mandate of the gallery is to exhibit contemporary art and to encourage a dialogue between visual art and writing. Of particular interest is work that crosses the boundaries between the two disciplines, exploring their common areas of praxis – a distinct aspect of the history of cultural practice in this region. Throughout our history, Artspeak has played a significant role in addressing the historical, social, and intellectual conditions of contemporary visual and language arts production from the West Coast. We aim to support the practices of emerging and established artists and writers from this region and beyond by providing opportunities to exhibit, publish, and present new work to audiences that are increasingly receptive to contemporary art and ideas. Artspeak actively contributes to the cultural community through our commitment to artists producing challenging, innovative work in diverse media, our affiliation with like- minded groups and organizations, and the public interest we generate in contemporary art.