What is an Artist’s Book?
Try this little quiz. An artist’s book is:
a. a book about art or a particular artist's work (a monograph)
b. an altered book
c. a book that has been cut to form a sculpture
d. none of the above
e. all of the above
Please see end of post for information about books contained in title graphic.
So what's the right answer?
There isn’t one. The best is d. But it could sometimes be e.
The problem with the art form of artists’ books is that there is no universally-agreed definition.
Since people generally look baffled when I say I’m working on a series of artists’ books, today I’m going do my utmost to define it for you. But beware! There are plenty of people who won’t agree with what I come up with.
Artists’ Books by
Tia Blassingame
Harvest Re-imagined, 2014. Slave receipt on chiffon. 91.4 x 91.4 cm.
Slavery's Historic House Signs: Collected Stories, 2015. Cyanotype and tea-stained cyanotype on cotton and silk with Dutch wax, African fabric and velvet. 134.6cm in x 21.6cm and 178cm x 20.3cm. Collection of University of California at Irvine.
When is a book not a book?
What makes describing artists’ books so hard is that it doesn’t have to be a book.
Yes, you heard me right. The genre of the artists’ book is so wonderfully varied and eclectic in its nature that it’s easily confused with other genres.
Creators of artist’s books often stretch the concept of a book pretty far. They may create something that is recognisably a book (sometimes known as book art or bookworks), or simply a book-like object.
A*Dress Book by Libby Barrett, 2010
approx 58.4cm h 45.7cm w x 45.7cm d
Papier mâché adhered to cloth. (Made from an entire copy of the Portland, Maine phone book plus one page of an atlas.)
How does an artist’s book compare to a regular book?
Ok. Let’s look at how an artist’s book compares to what we normally think of as a book.
A traditional book usually has three components:
Binding
Cover
Sequential pages
An artist’s book on the other hand may have only one or two of these elements. It doesn’t necessarily even have to contain text.
Spirit Books by Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord
#96: Harmonious Rebirth, 2018
53.3cm h x 48.3cm w x 35.5cm d
Media includes: Mashamba paper from Africa, handmade paper from Bhutan and glass seed beads.
#99: Chambered Congruity, 2018
17.8cm h x 21cm w x 21cm d
Media includes: handmade paper (Ukraine), elephant hide paper (USA), amate paper (Mexico) and sweetgum seed pods.
An Artist’s Book can be a one-off or one of many copies (known as multiples).
Artist book multiples are usually limited editions - often self-published, or produced by small presses, artists’ groups or collectives.
Threshold by Casey Gardner, 2012
Handbound Letterpress printed book structure with pop-out Turkish map.
Rives Heavyweight and Rives BFK Elephant Hide, book cloth.
Closed: 29.2 cm h x 14.6cm w ; open: 29.2cm h x 29.2cm w. Edition of 50.
Playing with the parameters of the book format
A book artist takes the pre-existing conventions of book-making and works with, within, around or against them by:
Using unconventional materials and/or printing techniques
Disrupting the sequence and nature of the page
Making or using existing structures not normally associated with the word 'book' such as a clamshell or a camera
Including text that isn’t legible, doesn’t make sense, isn’t read sequentially or can be read in a variety of sequences
WarZone by Dorothy Krause, (Year not provided).
26.4cm h x 32.7cm w x 3.8cm d. Edition of ten in a suitcase. Game boards and suitcase printed at Roland DGA, USA.
“Whether artists uses the form conventionally, or tweak it one way or the other, intrepretation and inspiration comes from a deep connection to ‘experience’ with books. Artists add depth and breadth to the definition of the form.”
Visitation of a Planetary Valentine by Teresa Pankratz, 2022
99cm x 55.9cm x 76.2cm.
Media includes: collage, pen and ink, fibre, found objects.
The Voice of Silence by Dea Fischer (2012)
Coptic binding made of silk organza.
Marriott Library Special Collection, University of Utah.
Vanishing Rainforest by Judith Serling-Sturm. (2019-20)
Media includes: shifu made by the artist, fabrics and faux fur.
27.95 x 17.8 x 15.2 (ajar)
The medium really is the message
What really makes an artist’s book different from any other sort of book is that the form of the book is as integral to its ideas or concepts as what it contains.
In other words, every aspect of the way the piece is constructed is part of its message or concept. This can include:
words and/or type
images
structure
printing method
binding
closure
The book itself the thing ‘being communicated’ as opposed to the book being a support for conveying something else.
Silent Night by Camille Riner:
Digital pigmented print, book board, paper, linen thread, Czech glass bead, 4.5cm h x 3.8cm w.
Why an artist’s book is like a chocolate Easter egg
Here’s a simple analogy. Think of a chocolate easter egg with a hollow centre containing M&M’s. The egg isn’t just a container for the M&M’s or you might as well buy a regular packet.
It’s integral to the concept that the container for the M&M’s comes in the form of an egg. And that the egg is also made of chocolate.
An artist’s book is the same. It’s shape and the materials it’s made of are crucial aspects of the art-form. Just as important as what’s actually inside it.
These Pictures of Time by Margo Lemieux, (Year not provided).
Paste paper, ribbon, Mohawk paper, digital pages and photos, book board and cloth. 30.5 x 30.5 x 22.9 cm
“...what drew me to making books...was the magic of the book...the exploration of the structure, the surprise a book has to offer...Artist’s books are little worlds - secrets almost - even when they are huge in structure - they are intimate and bold...”
Spiral Dome by Thomas Parker Williams, (2016).
Movable Paper Sculpture with 12 page book. 12cm x 23.5cm x 24.8cm in box, 45.7cm d fully open. Museum board, various papers and black Tyvek. Covers of storage box and accompanying book letterpress printed from polymer plates.
Collections: Permanent collection of UC Berkeley Environmental Design Library; Special Collections: Columiba University Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, MICA Decker Library, Artist Book Collection and Temple University Special Collections
The other crucial aspect of an artist’s book is that it is made or conceived by an artist.
Some fine artists make books as an adjunct to their other work. For other artists this is their primary medium.
Then there are illustrators, typographers, writers, poets, book binders, printers and many others who may work collaboratively or alone to produce artist’s books.
So, unlike other sorts of books, an artist’s book is in itself a work of art.
As with all artworks, it is the artist’s individual nature, skill and imagination, that ultimately determines its form.
An Artist’s Book is a work of art
Sanctuary, 2010. Pigeon feathers, inkjet printed vellum, handwritten vellum, Canson mi tientes, metal bead, cotton string closure.
Artists’ Books by Erin K. Schmidt
Detail of Dumped for a Stripper, 2010. Feather boa made of transfer-printed pigeon feathers, braided silk, thread.
Still confused about Artists’ Books?
I love this description from Louise Levergneux:
“An artists’ book is a work of art that is conceived and executed to define or tell a story through its imagery or text. It is like a mini-installation of ideas gathered in one single object that can be shared or viewed privately.”
You might also find this article by Angela Lorenz and this one by Cari Ferraro about Artists’ Books helpful!
Also this useful explanation of common structures from Peter Thomas, one of the authors of 1000 Artists’ Books.
Flor Entre Pinos (Flower amongst Pines) by Cherry Jeffs 2016
Pentagon size folded 17.5cm x 18.5cm, unfolded 29.5cm x 29.5 cm.
Acrylic paint, water-soluble coloured pencils and cold wax medium on 290gm Canson paper and recycled papers; with ribbon and handmade bead closure.
ARTIST’S BOOKS IN TITLE GRAPHIC
Clockwise from top left: Hamsa-Covid-19 Amulet Vest by Shellie Jacobson (2020), Repurposed mono type prints, various papers, thread. 63.5cm h x 45.7cm w x 15.2cm d; Ratify by Julie Shaw Lutts, (2021), Vintage wooden box, vintage kid leather womens’ gloves, ink. Box 10.2cm h x 38.1cm w x 15.24cm d. Cliodna by Lisa Hartman (2015) Altered atlas, polymer clay, beads, matchbox, mica flakes, 60.95 cm w x 50.8 cm x 30.5 cm d; Cactus Couple by Alisa Golden (2012) Media includes: wet-felted wools, needle-felted wool yarn, acrylic ink painted paper with handwritten text, pearl-headed pins, book cloth and Davey board. Box: 13.3cm h x 22.2cm w x 9.2, Book 10.2cm h x 10.2cm w x 6.3cm d.
All images reproduced with permission and © the artists.
The artist’s website, if available, can be reached by clicking on the artist’s name beneath the work.
Artists books shown are unique /one-of-a-kind pieces unless an edition number is included.