Artists' Books - Exploring the Book as Art

Artists’ Books

EXPLORING
the

BOOK

Artists’ BooksasART

SANDRA SALAMONY with PETER & DONNA THOMAS

INTRODUCTION 6

0001– CODEX BOOKS 8 108
0354 books with pages

joined to make a spine

0355 – ACCORDION AND FOLDABLE BOOKS
books with
0637 multiple-fold pages

CONTENTS

0638– SINGLE-SHEET BOOKS 188 IMAGE DIRECTORY 300
0696 books with DIRECTORY OF ARTISTS 313
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 320
single-sheet pages ABOUT THE AUTHORS 320

SCULPTURAL BOOKS 208

0697– books made from objects
1000 and objects made into books

6 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

Introduction ©ED RUSCHA. COURTESY GAGOSIAN GALLERY W HAT IS AN ARTISTS’ BOOK? This question the phrase to describe the genre of art works
does not have a simple answer. Even if it made by book artists.
Ruscha’s “Twentysix were only,“What is a book?” the question would
Gasoline Stations” (1963) not be any easier to answer. This is because the In 2010 and 2011, Donna and I traveled
is one of the earliest word “book” is regularly used to imply both the around the country in our gypsy wagon
examples of a modern content and the object itself. It is not unusual artists’ bookmobile (20,000 miles, 35 states),
book conceived as an art for a person to say,“I wrote a book,” and by that teaching classes and talking about the book
work. ©ED RUSCHA. COURTESY mean they wrote something to be printed in a arts. Between stops, people would often chase
book, rather than actually writing the words of us down to look inside the gypsy wagon and
GAGOSIAN GALLERY a story in a book. And likewise it is not unusual find out what we were doing.When we told
for a person to say,“I made a book,” when they them we were book artists, they would often
have bound a blank book that has no words or get a confused look, so we would explain:
images inside.The concept of ‘bookness’ is not “A book artist is a person who makes books
as simple as it may seem. as their form of artistic expression, and an
artists’ book is the creation of a book artist.
When the word “artist” is added to the word A book artist makes books like a painter makes
“book,” the result becomes even more complex. paintings.” Though simplistic, this answer often
What is art? The question has been argued, helped them understand that an artists’ book
discussed and dissected for centuries. As with is a work of art and not simply a means of
book, the definition of art changes and often conveying information.
depends on whether the process or the prod-
uct is being considered. For example, cooking I often used the gypsy wagon as a metaphor
can be an art, but the meal created might not be for the artist’s book, saying,“when a person
a work of art. looks inside a regular RV what do they think?
Usually nothing special, or something like,
It was not until the mid-1980s that the ‘How practical.’ But when people see our gypsy
term “artists’ books” crept into common usage wagon they get excited, curious, and something
as a way to describe books made by artists. magical happens. Commercially produced books
Before that the term was more commonly used are like regular RVs: practical and full of informa-
to describe the livre d’artiste, books created tion. Artists’ books are like our gypsy wagon:
by a publisher to pair illustrations by famous they inspire imagination and wonder and share
artists with well-known texts. In the same something of the artist who created them.”
way that the first cars were called “horseless
carriages,” the phrase “artists’ books” described How does one know if a work of art is an
both medium and product in terms of objects artists’ book or only a 3-D painting or a sculp-
that already existed.There may be a better ture? What are the physical and conceptual
name, but so far there is no agreement on what attributes that define an artists’ book? Generally,
it might be. But there is agreement to use an if an object has book-like qualities recognizable
apostrophe and place it after the “s,” claiming by either the maker or the viewer, then it is
fair to call it an artists’ book. Some people get

7

caught up trying to decide if a work of art is, or puters and e-books taking the place of physical Hedi Kyle’s first “flag
is not, an artists’ book. I find it more interesting books and running us out of a job. I’m not wor- book,”April’s Diary
to discover what the book-like qualities are by ried.This is an exciting time to be involved in 1979, was a ground-
asking questions such as:“Where on the scale of the book arts. Since the invention of the print- breaking structural
object to information does it fit?” ing press, the book as a medium for the artist exploration.
has been encumbered by function.Today, in the
An artists’ book with pages that can be same way that photography set painting free, Rebis Press’s 1981
turned is a sequential art form that goes beyond the personal computer has released the book “Hats Off” pushed
the ordinary three dimensions of other sculp- from its servitude to information. Freed from the limits of the fine
tural art works. A masterpiece of the artists’ function, the book can be an aesthetic object, press aesthetic with
book can be enjoyed as a two-dimensional a work of art.When electronic books become its nontraditional
object when viewed in a photograph, as a three- the primary distribution source for the written binding materials and
dimensional object when on display in a glass word, people will turn to physical books for unusual structure.
case, and as a four dimensional object when aesthetic satisfaction.
held and read. If you find yourself frustrated JOHN WEHRLE
because you cannot read the text or see the The book, with so many possible forms of
sequence when viewing the images in this expression, is clearly the most complex and ver-
book, try enjoying the two dimensional experi- satile art medium that exists. I believe that very
ence. If you really want to read or hold the soon artists will discover how to exploit these
book, you can always contact the artist to buy potentials to create works of art that today
a copy or visit a library or museum to see it. are still unimaginable. It seems very likely that
by the end of the twenty-first century, paint-
Most art forms have recognized genres. ings and sculptures will be gathering dust in
Paintings can be labeled as landscape, abstract, museum storage rooms while the galleries will
or portrait. A film can be called a noir, comedy, be full of artists’ books. Perhaps some of those
or drama. Artists’ books do not yet have com- art works will be books you first saw pictured
monly recognized genres. To organize the 1,000 here in this edition of 1,000 Artists’ Books.
images for this book, I decided to focus solely
on the structure, and defined four structural —Peter Thomas
“genres”: codex books (books with pages joined
to make a spine), accordion and foldable books Peter and Donna Thomas,
(books with multiple-fold pages), single-sheet Santa Cruz, California
books (books with single-sheet pages), and
sculptural books (books made from objects and
objects made into books). Detailed descriptions
of these genres are given at the beginning of
each chapter.

While traveling around the country, we
were frequently asked if we worried about com-



Chapter 1:

CODEX BOOKS

books with pages joined
to make a spine

Books made with single-fold pages,
joined to make a spine:

• pamphlets, case bindings, designer
bindings, long stitch bindings, coptic
stitch bindings, stab bindings, French
door bindings

Books made with single sheet pages,
joined to make a spine:

• perfect bindings, drum bindings,
flip books, stapled pamphlets,
post and screw

00010–354

10 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS PHOTO BY WALKER MONTGOMERY

0001

Daniel Essig, USA

PHOTO BY WALKER MONTGOMERY CODEX BOOKS 11
PHOTO BY WALKER MONTGOMERY
0002, 0003, 0004
PHOTO BY WALKER MONTGOMERY
Daniel Essig, USA

12 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS PHOTO BY SIBILA SAVAGE
PHOTO BY SIBILA SAVAGE
0005, 0006

Alisa Golden, never mind the press, USA

0007, 0008

Paul Henry, UK

CODEX BOOKS 13

0009, 0010

Cynthia Colbert, USA

0011, 0012

Bessie Smith Moulton, USA

14 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0013

Nancy Jean Wallace,Too Many Shoes Studio, USA

0014, 0015

Bessie Smith Moulton, USA

CODEX BOOKS 15

0016, 0017, 0018

Paul Henry, UK

0019

Barbara Simler, CANADA

16 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0020, 0021

Genie Shenk, USA

0022, 0023

Bertha Rogers, Six Swans Artist Editions, USA

CODEX BOOKS 17

0024, 0025, 0026

Judith Serebrin, Judith of Serebrin
Books & Prints, USA

18 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0027, 0028, 0029

Erin Sweeney, Lovely In The Home Press, USA

CODEX BOOKS 19

0030, 0031

Judith Hoffman, USA

0032, 0033

Hanne Niederhausen, USA

20 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0034, 0035, 0036

Caren Heft,Arcadian Press, USA

0037, 0038

Robyn Hunt, Robin Sparrow Books, NEW ZEALAND

CODEX BOOKS 21PHOTOS BY KATE CAMERON (3)

0039, 0040, 0041

Sas Colby, USA

0042, 0043

Genie Shenk, USA

22 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0044, 0045

Stephanie Sherwood, USA

0046

e Bond, roughdrAft books, USA

CODEX BOOKS 23

PHOTOS BY JILL REMER (2)

0047, 0048

Dee Collins, USA

0049, 0050, 0051

Michelle Wilson, Rocinante Press, USA

24 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0052, 0053

Ellen Knudson, Crooked Letter Press, USA

0054, 0055

Stefan Volatile-Wood, USA

CODEX BOOKS 25

0056, 0057

Beata Wehr, USA

PHOTO BY BETH FORMAN

0058, 0059

Purgatory Pie Press, Dikko Faust + Esther K Smith,
collaborating artist: Susan Happersett, USA

26 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0060, 0061, 0062

Lisa Rappoport,
Littoral Press, USA

0063

Peter & Donna Thomas, USA

CODEX BOOKS 27

0064, 0065, 0066

Robbin Ami Silverberg,
Dobbin Mill/Dobbin Books, USA

28 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0067, 0068, 0069

Robbin Ami Silverberg, Dobbin Mill/Dobbin Books, USA

CODEX BOOKS 29PHOTOS BY SIBILA SAVAGE (4)

0070, 0071, 0072, 0073

Julie Chen, Flying Fish Press, USA

30 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS PHOTOS BY JONATHAN BILLING (2)

0074, 0075

Peter Madden, USA

0076, 0077

Timothy C. Ely, USA

CODEX BOOKS 31

0078, 0079, 0080

Peter & Donna Thomas, USA

0081

Mary McCarthy and Shirley Veenema, USA

32 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0082, 0083

Rocco Scary, USA

0084, 0085

Velma Bolyard,Wake Robin Papers, USA

CODEX BOOKS 33

0086, 0087, 0088

Chad Pastotnik,
Deep Wood Press, USA

0089, 0090

Aimee Lee, USA

PHOTOS BY STEFAN HAGEN (2)

34 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0091, 0092

Erin Sweeney, Lovely In The Home Press, USA

0093, 0094

Jana Sim, USA

CODEX BOOKS 35

0095, 0096, 0097

Peter Madden, USA

0098

Jeanne Bennett, USA

36 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0099, 0100

Dorothy Simpson Krause,Viewpoint Editions, USA

0101, 0102

Deborah Kogan, USA

CODEX BOOKS 37

0103, 0104, 0105 PHOTOS BY JOHN POLAK PHOTOGRAPHY (3)

Sharon McCartney, USA

0106, 0107

Maureen Piggins, CANADA

38 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS PHOTOS BY STEFAN HAGEN (2)

0108, 0109 PHOTOS BY JIM VECCHIONE (2)

Aimee Lee, USA

0110, 0111

Kelly O’Brien,TurningPointe Press, GERMANY

CODEX BOOKS 39

0112, 0113, 0114

Elsi Vassdal Ellis, EVE Press,

USA

40 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0115, 0116

Buzz Spector, USA

PHOTOS BY PATRICK RENSCHEN (2)

CODEX BOOKS 41

0117, 0118, 0119

Elsi Vassdal Ellis, EVE Press,

USA

42 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0120

Heather Crossley, AUSTRALIA

0121, 0122, 0123

Elsi Vassdal Ellis, EVE Press,

USA

CODEX BOOKS 43

PHOTOS BY TOBIN ROGERS (2)

0124, 0125

Sas Colby, USA

0126, 0127

Thomas Parker Williams, USA

44 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

0128, 0129

Guylaine Couture, CANADA

CODEX BOOKS 45

0130

Margaret Beech, Calligrapher & Bookartist, UK

0131, 0132

Patricia Sarrafian Ward, USA

46 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

PHOTOS BY SIBILA SAVAGE (2)

0133, 0134

Alisa Golden, never mind the press, USA

0135, 0136

Eileen Arnow-Levine, USA

CODEX BOOKS 47

0137, 0138

Thomas Parker Williams, USA

0139, 0140

Miyako Akai, Kototsubo, JAPAN

48 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS PHOTOS BY GUILD OF BOOK WORKERS (3)

0141, 0142, 0143

Melissa Jay Craig, USA

CODEX BOOKS 49

PHOTOS BY DEAN POWELL (2)

0144, 0145

Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord, USA

0146, 0147

Lucy Baxandall, UK

50 1,000 ARTISTS’ BOOKS

PHOTOS BY LARRY FERGUSON (2)

0148, 0149

Karen Kunc, Blue Heron Press, USA

0150, 0151

Michael Andrews,
Bombshelter Press, USA