Ed Varney, also known as Big Dada, has been a poet, a critic, a printer, a publisher, an editor, a graphic designer, a bookbinder, a visual artist and an arts animator and consultant. From 1969 to 1981, as the founder of Intermedia Press, he published sixty-five books of poetry and eight books of fiction by Canadian writers and his own work has appeared in four books of poetry, several anthologies and numerous journals and chapbooks. His current Vancouver publisher is the Poem Factory. He continues to write poetry.
Scope and content
The collection consists of a black three ring binder, titled "Famous Artist Certificates," with a text by Varney inviting viewers to sign themselves into a register of "Famous Artist Certificate Holders," corresponding to one hundred certificates printed on cards, numbered 201 to 300 contained in a paper box 9.5 x 10.5 x 5.5 cm, intended by Varney to be taken away by viewers; and an LED screen, 28.5 x 7 x 3 cm, with a black electrical wall plug and cord.
