Giselle's Books

TOP STORIES: New York City in 1979/1981, photographs by Anne Turyn and ephemera of the TOP STORIES era.

Organized by Sophie T. Lvoff

17.04 – 08.05.2022
Giselle’s Books · Marseille


TOP STORIES was a prose periodical published from 1978 to 1991 by the artist Anne Turyn in Buffalo, New York, and New York City. Over the course of twenty-nine issues, it served as a pivotal platform for experimental fiction and art through single-artist issues and two anthologies.

Top Stories primarily featured female artists, though in Turyn’s words a few men “crept in as collaborators”.
Although primarily “a prose periodical” (as its byline often stated), the issues varied in form and aesthetics, pushing the boundaries of what prose could be and, from time to time, escaping the genre altogether. In fact, the only parameters required for participants were that the periodical’s logo and issue list be included on the front and back covers, respectively.

New York City in 1979/1981 is an presentation of Anne Turyn’s black & white photographs, made on the occasion of Kathy Acker’s TOP STORIES issue. Acker wrote to Turyn regarding the edition, “Why not making it AMAZING as long as we’re making it?” The photographs depict the street scenes of a New York slightly forgotten, but undeniably recognizable, like the gleaming of the Statue of Liberty.

The 29-issues reprint of TOP STORIES magazine includes contributions by Kathy Acker, Laurie Anderson, Sheila Ascher, Douglas Blau, Lisa Bloomfield, Linda L. Cathcart, Cheryl Clarke, Susan Daitch, Constance DeJong, Jane Dickson, Judith Doyle, Lee Eiferman, Robert Fiengo, Joe Gibbons, Pati Hill, Jenny Holzer, Gary Indiana, Tama Janowitz, Suzanne Jackson, Suzanne Johnson, Caryl Jones-Sylvester, Mary Kelly, Judy Linn, Micki McGee, Ursule Molinaro, Cookie Mueller, Peter Nadin, Linda Neaman, Glenn O’Brien, Romaine Perin, Richard Prince, Lou Robinson, Janet Stein, Dennis Straus, Sekou Sundiata, Leslie Thornton, Kirsten Thorup, Lynne Tillman, Anne Turyn, Gail Vachon, Brian Wallis, Jane Warrick, Jenny Holzer with Peter Nadin, and Donna Wyszomierski.

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On the occasion of the opening,  voices of the art and writing scene of Marseille will read a selection of TOP STORIES with a sonic presence by Elia David, that will also be broadcast live on Duuu Radio.

Readers: Carisa Bledsoe, Bea Bottomley, Madison Bycroft, Fëlix Pap, Brontë Scott, Aki Yamouridis.

Anne Turyn is a photographer based in New York as well as the former editor of TOP STORIES magazine. Turyn’s work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Kunsthalle Bern, Denver Art Museum, Walker Art Center, and Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Sophie T. Lvoff is an artist based in Marseille. She has organized exhibitions in New York, New Orleans, and Grenoble. She is currently in residence at the Ateliers de la Ville de Marseille.

The re-edition of TOP STORIES is published by Primary Information.


TOP STORIES était un périodique de prose publié de 1978 à 1991 par l'artiste Anne Turyn à Buffalo, New York, et à New York City. Au cours de ses vingt-neuf numéros, il a servi de plateforme à la fiction et à l'art expérimental, par le biais de parutions Top Stories mettait principalement en vedette des artistes femmes, bien que, selon Turyn, quelques hommes "s'y soient glissés comme collaborateurs".
Bien qu'il s'agisse avant tout d'un "périodique en prose" (comme l'indique souvent sa signature), les numéros variaient en termes de forme et d'esthétique, repoussant les limites de ce que la prose pouvait être et, de temps à autre, échappant complètement au genre. En fait, les seuls paramètres exigés des participants étaient que le logo et la liste des numéros du périodique figurent respectivement sur les couvertures avant et arrière.

New York City in 1979/1981 est une présentation des photographies en noir et blanc d'Anne Turyn, réalisées à l'occasion du numéro TOP STORIES de Kathy Acker. Acker a écrit à Turyn à propos de cette édition : "Pourquoi ne pas la rendre AMAZING tant qu'on la fait ?". Les photographies représentent les scènes de rue d'un New York un peu oublié, mais indéniablement reconnaissable, comme le scintillement de la statue de la Liberté.

La réédition des 29 numéros du magazine TOP STORIES comprend des contributions de Kathy Acker, Laurie Anderson, Sheila Ascher, Douglas Blau, Lisa Bloomfield, Linda L. Cathcart, Cheryl Clarke, Susan Daitch, Constance DeJong, Jane Dickson, Judith Doyle, Lee Eiferman, Robert Fiengo, Joe Gibbons, Pati Hill, Jenny Holzer, Gary Indiana, Tama Janowitz, Suzanne Jackson, Suzanne Johnson, Caryl Jones-Sylvester, Mary Kelly, Judy Linn, Micki McGee, Ursule Molinaro, Cookie Mueller, Peter Nadin, Linda Neaman, Glenn O'Brien, Romaine Perin, Richard Prince, Lou Robinson, Janet Stein, Dennis Straus, Sekou Sundiata, Leslie Thornton, Kirsten Thorup, Lynne Tillman, Anne Turyn, Gail Vachon, Brian Wallis, Jane Warrick, Jenny Holzer avec Peter Nadin, et Donna Wyszomierski.
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À l'occasion du vernissage, des voix de la scène artistique et littéraire de Marseille liront une sélection de TOP
STORIES avec une présence sonore d'Elia David, qui sera également diffusée en direct sur Duuu Radio.
Lecteurs : Carisa Bledsoe, Bea Bottomley, Madison Bycroft, Fëlix Pap, Brontë Scott, Aki Yamouridis.

Anne Turyn est une photographe basée à New York ainsi que l'ancienne rédactrice en chef du magazine TOP STORIES. Les œuvres d'Anne Turyn ont été exposées au Museum of Modern Art, au Metropolitan Museum of Art, à la Kunsthalle de Berne, le Denver Art Museum, le Walker Art Center et le Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Sophie T. Lvoff est une artiste basée à Marseille. Elle a organisé des expositions à New York, à la Nouvelle-Orléans et à Grenoble. Elle est actuellement en résidence aux Ateliers de la Ville de Marseille.

La réédition de TOP STORIES est publiée par Primary Information.

TOP STORIES: New York City in 1979/1981, photographs by Anne Turyn and ephemera of the TOP STORIES era. Organized by Sophie T. Lvoff. Exhibition View, Giselle's Books, Marseille, 2022.
New York City in 1979, shot in 1981 (Top Stories #9 by Kathy Acker), Anne Turyn 20 digital prints, 21,5 x 27,5cm Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
TOP STORIES: New York City in 1979/1981, photographs by Anne Turyn and ephemera of the TOP STORIES era. Organized by Sophie T. Lvoff. Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
New York City in 1979, shot in 1981 (Top Stories #9 by Kathy Acker), Anne Turyn 20 digital prints, 21,5 x 27,5cm Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
TOP STORIES: New York City in 1979/1981, photographs by Anne Turyn and ephemera of the TOP STORIES era. Organized by Sophie T. Lvoff. Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
New York City in 1979, shot in 1981 (Top Stories #9 by Kathy Acker), Anne Turyn 20 digital prints, 21,5 x 27,5cm Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
TOP STORIES: New York City in 1979/1981, photographs by Anne Turyn and ephemera of the TOP STORIES era. Organized by Sophie T. Lvoff. Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
TOP STORIES: New York City in 1979/1981, photographs by Anne Turyn and ephemera of the TOP STORIES era. Organized by Sophie T. Lvoff. Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
New York City in 1979, shot in 1981 (Top Stories #9 by Kathy Acker), Anne Turyn 20 digital prints, 21,5 x 27,5cm Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
TOP STORIES: New York City in 1979/1981, photographs by Anne Turyn and ephemera of the TOP STORIES era. Organized by Sophie T. Lvoff. Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
New York City in 1979, shot in 1981 (Top Stories #9 by Kathy Acker), Anne Turyn 20 digital prints, 21,5 x 27,5cm Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
New York City in 1979, shot in 1981 (Top Stories #9 by Kathy Acker), Anne Turyn 20 digital prints, 21,5 x 27,5cm Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
New York City in 1979, shot in 1981 (Top Stories #9 by Kathy Acker), Anne Turyn 20 digital prints, 21,5 x 27,5cm Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
TOP STORIES: New York City in 1979/1981, photographs by Anne Turyn and ephemera of the TOP STORIES era. Organized by Sophie T. Lvoff. Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
New York City in 1979, shot in 1981 (Top Stories #9 by Kathy Acker), Anne Turyn 20 digital prints, 21,5 x 27,5cm Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
New York City in 1979, shot in 1981 (Top Stories #9 by Kathy Acker), Anne Turyn 20 digital prints, 21,5 x 27,5cm Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
TOP STORIES: New York City in 1979/1981, photographs by Anne Turyn and ephemera of the TOP STORIES era. Organized by Sophie T. Lvoff. Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
New York City in 1979, shot in 1981 (Top Stories #9 by Kathy Acker), Anne Turyn 20 digital prints, 21,5 x 27,5cm Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
TOP STORIES: New York City in 1979/1981, photographs by Anne Turyn and ephemera of the TOP STORIES era. Organized by Sophie T. Lvoff. Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
Facsimile of correspondance and research material for the TOP STORIES issues, 1978-1991. Exhibition View, Giselle’s Books, Marseille, 2022.
On the occasion of the opening: readings of a selection of TOP STORIES with a sonic presence by Elia David, also be broadcast live on Duuu Radio. Readers: Carisa Bledsoe, Bea Bottomley, Madison Bycroft, Fëlix Pap, Brontë Scott, Aki Yamouridis.

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