Art Metropole

Events / On Now

29 Aug. 2026

Book Launch: It’s the Sun and Rain that Makes the Salt and Goats and Honey Bees

Time: 2–4PM

Please join Art Metropole on Saturday August 29th from 2–4 PM to celebrate the launch of Bill Burns’ most recent publication: It’s the Sun and Rain that Makes the Salt and Goats and Honey Bees. Stop by to pick up a copy of the publication, and stick around for refreshments and a drop-in signing with the artist.

It’s the Sun and Rain that Makes the Salt and Goats and Honey Bees is a book about a happening at Seoul, Korea. The happening involved more than a dozen farmers, beekeepers, musicians, goats and farmers at and around Seoul. Goats were milked, bees provided honey, and salt was harvested from the sea. Investment bankers planted a pollinator garden, children tasted the goat’s milk infused with salt and honey and players dressed as a donkey, a goat and a honey bee carried the milk, honey and salt across the city until it was finally mixed together at the Oil Tank Culture Park at Seoul.

The happening was directed by Bill Burns who also mixed the milk, honey and salt and made the drawings in this book. The dramaturg was Yeni Ma. The associate producer was Juwon Park. The players were Dongsol Seo, Hyeyoung Na, Yeji Lim. The violinist was Hyojin Kan. The goat farmer was Youngki Min. The principal beekeeper was Jin Park. The salt was procured at Sorae Salt Farm. Costume design was by Pascale Déry. Photography was by Chul-lim Choi and Bill Burns. Graphic Design and typography of this book is by Seoul-based graphic designer Gunjung Lee whose award-winning work often blurs the lines between typography and image. The book includes many pictures and words including a sweeping conversation between Yeni Ma and Bill Burns touching on the contradictions of consumer culture, container shipping, acceleration, slow farming, joy and collaboration between species.

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Bill Burns was born into a book selling family in Saskatchewan where he learned about art and books and tractors from monks and poets and farmers. His solo projects have been shown at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, England; KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin; 303 Gallery, New York; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto; Mendes Wood DM, São Paulo; Hippolyte, Helsinki; and the Oil Tank Culture Park, Seoul. His previous books have been published by Buchhandlung Walther König, Koln; 303 Gallery, New York; and KW Berlin. He is represented by MKG127 Toronto.

Art Metropole

Events / On Now

29 Aug. 2026

Book Launch: It’s the Sun and Rain that Makes the Salt and Goats and Honey Bees

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