David Bellingham lives and works in Glasgow. He is an artist who works in a number of different fields including drawing and painting, artist’s books, photography, film, installation and sound art. Much of his output is textual in form – early works being visual and concrete poetry but later introducing aspects of conceptual art.
Having worked early in his career with Ian Hamilton Finlay, David Harding, Pavel Buchler, Thomas Joshua Cooper and Rodger Palmer – Bellingham has created a wide range of works alongside the creation of a publishing house in WAX366 (named after the registration of his beloved car).
This archive of books, cards, editions and original works has been created by Paul Robertson since first meeting Bellingham in 2000. Robertson and Bellingham have worked together on a number of exhibitions and project including the highly significant TURNOUT project where Bellingham re-wrote the entire vote of the first ever Scottish Parliament election – a phenomenal effort on the part of the artist who had to draw over 2 million Xs to complete the project in Robertson’s Heart Gallery in Edinburgh in 2005.
There are nearly 150 items in this collection – many of the books are unique hand made items and some of the artist’s earliest works from 1997 onwards are included in the group.
The archive may be for sale both as a collection or as individual items – please email mail@unoriginalsins.com to discuss further.
HONEY IN A JAR. 2018.
Glasgow: WAX3666, 2018
8 x 5cm dia, small jar full of honey with a printed label that reads: "Honey in a jar/homesick for the hive/object in a gallery/homesick for the studio". The text references Daniel Buren's text "The Function of the Studio" from 1979. Small limitation - in original mailing box. VG+.
FAKE KLEIN BLUE STAMP. 2019. UNIQUE MAIL ART WORK.
10.5 x 15cm, 2pp commercial postcard bearing a cross text and a painted post office stamp in the equivalent blue shad of International Klein Blue. This unique mail art work was sent by Bellingham to Robertson as a gift after a discussion about Yves Kleins famous blue stamps that he used to post out one of his announcement cards for an exhibition.
MORNING SUMMER AFTERNOON WINTER. 2020.
Glasgow: Wax366, 2020
21 x 15cm, 2pp artist postcard with a text on the front (indented into the card) - MORNING SUMMER AFTERNOON WINTER/SPRING NOON AUTUMN EVENING. The two lists mix up two groups of time emphasising the parallels between the conceptual groupings. A new year card sent to friend and family as a gift. Limitation not known. VG+.
NOTES. 2020. UNIQUE HAND-DRAWN BOOK. ONE OF A SERIES OF 50.
Glasgow: Wax366, 2020
15 x 10.5cm, 12pp artist's book - which is completely hand-made and drawn by Bellingham in red and black and blue felt-tipped pen. The title Notes is followed by pages with various lines in colours (each page is different).
This is one of 50 proposed books in a series called "DRAWN ON DEMAND" each of which is hand-made on request by the artist (hence it is not clear that 50 such books will be realised). Signed on the back cover. VG+.
SETS. 2020. UNIQUE HAND-DRAWN BOOK. ONE OF A SERIES OF 50.
Glasgow: Wax366, 2020
15 x 10.5cm, 12pp artist's book - which is completely hand-made and drawn by Bellingham in green, blue and black and blue felt-tipped pen. The title Sets is followed by pages with various shapes in colours (each page is different).
This is one of 50 proposed books in a series called "DRAWN ON DEMAND" each of which is hand-made on request by the artist (hence it is not clear that 50 such books will be realised). Signed on the back cover. VG+.
LINES. 2020. UNIQUE HAND-DRAWN BOOK. ONE OF A SERIES OF 50.
Glasgow: Wax366, 2020
15 x 10.5cm, 12pp artist's book - which is completely hand-made and drawn by Bellingham in green, red and black and blue felt-tipped pen. The title Lines is followed by pages with various lines in different colours (each page is different).
This is one of 50 proposed books in a series called "DRAWN ON DEMAND" each of which is hand-made on request by the artist (hence it is not clear that 50 such books will be realised). Signed on the back cover. VG+.
LISTS. 2020. UNIQUE HAND-DRAWN BOOK. ONE OF A SERIES OF 50.
Glasgow: Wax366, 2020
15 x 10.5cm, 12pp artist's book - which is completely hand-made and drawn by Bellingham in black felt-tipped pen. The title Lists is followed by pages with various lines numbered in the way lists might be (each page is different).
This is one of 50 proposed books in a series called "DRAWN ON DEMAND" each of which is hand-made on request by the artist (hence it is not clear that 50 such books will be realised). Signed on the back cover. VG+.
SOMETHING THAT SHAPES THE SPACE AROUND IT. 2020. ONE OF ONLY 25 EXAMPLES WITH SIGNED & NUMBERED CARD. (Copy)
Gorebridge: Show and Tell Editions, 2020 45 x 45cm, two colour silkscreen on white canvas cushion cover. One of only 25 such works each with a signed and numbered circular thick card as colophon.
NOT TO BE SOLD UNLESS DESPERATE. 2020.
21 x 30cm, black ink on card. An unique drawing given by Bellingham to Paul Robertson as a birthday gift. The text refers to Robertson's statement that he does not sell gifts from artists unless he is desperate! VG+. Signed and dated with the message "Happy Birthday Paul" in pencil on the back. Not for sale. Unless we are desperate.
THE SIX ELEMENTS. JOHN FURNIVAL (1933 – 2020). 2020.
Glasgow: WAX366, 2020
15 x 10.5cm,2pp. Editioned postcard displaying a photograph of John Furnival in his garden in 1982. Behind the artist is a six part sculpture based on 6 flower pots - each with a different element - EARTH, AIR, WATER, FIRE, TEA AND COFFEE - a rather humorous work which was made in conjunction with an unidentified artist (quote possibly Ian Hamilton Finlay). VG+.
TWELVE VESSELS. 2021. UNIQUE HAND COLOURED WORK.
Glasgow: WAX366, 2021
21 x 15.5cm, 2pp. Artist's postcard printed letterpress black on white with an image of 12 drinking vessels in cross section - each is identified with a different month. One of Bellingham's annual end of year postcard editions. This example is unique as Bellingham has coloured in the bottom parts of each vessel with a coloured felt tipped pen. VG+.
POCKET MONEY. 2021. VERY FEW MADE.
Glasgow: Wax366, 2021 15 x 10.5cm, 12pp (self cover). Hand made artist's book each with paint sprayed on the pages and with pre war 1p and half-penny coins in a glassine small pocket. This is one of Bellingham's "sprayed on demand" books where each is made for a cleint - and rarely more than 30 in total are made. VG+.