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William Harroff,
Roxana, IL. Flat Beer, 1987, tin cans, wire pigment, 7 x
4 ", 8.25" wide fully opened
Larry B. Thomas,
Atlanta, GA. Flagellation Book #10-4-D/10-4-D-yea, 1987,
mixed media, tax forms, 23 x 5.25"
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Intent is everything
"Artists book" is a (controversial term given to)
book or book-like object in which the primary interest, or emphasis,
is visual rather than textual. The controversy arises because some
feel strongly that a book, to be considered a book, must behave
in all respects like a book. Otherwise it's not a book but something
else, such as sculpture.
- Richard Miller, editor, Canadian Bookbinder and Book Artist Guild
A book which is itself the thing to be communicated, not a support
for conveying something other than itself. In an artist-book the
book is the art, not just a possible enabling factor for time delayed
(mass) communication. -Angela Moll, Cornell University
library
Perhaps the Fluxist movement would define an artists book as some
thing that involves linking together. Thought - execute imaginary
- tangible to be - it is. -Colette Vosberg, artist
Artists are trying to redefine the notion of a book. ... There also
seems to be a couple of lines of arguments. One seems to have to
do with structure while the other has to do with function. These
are two completely different ideas. Structure has to do with the
physical object. People who seem to be stuck on structure are discounting
the purpose of the book. What does the book do? In simplest terms
it relays information.
- Berwyn Hung, Five Feather Press
What I have liked so much about the book arts, using that term to
encompass the whole range, is how welcoming it is. I feel I have
found a place where my work can fit and I feel comfortable. The
fact that it is so hard to agree on a definition may make life difficult
for art historians and critics, but I think it is wonderful for
artists.
- Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord, artist, teacher
If "Artists" Book" is a statement of result, in that it's a book
by an artist, I'd rather stake my claim as a "Book Artist," which
is a statement of intent: that the Book is my medium of Art. I
don't make "artist"s books." I make "Book Art," in the sense that
others make painting or sculpture. It's important that the sophisticated
viewer of my work bring with them the history of the book, from
the use of caves to preserve human marks to the use of electronic
media. Of course you'll find a lot of artists entering any field
who don't know the history, and only bring their personal experience
to the table. Sometimes that produces something that we all can
learn from. If I see one new thing in a work I'm happy.
- Richard Minsky, founder, New York Center for the Book
Definition may limit creativity
Though I hate the notion of a definition, since by defining
what an artists book is, may lead to excluding SOMETHING which,
upon reading the definition, would work to eliminate SOMEONE who
would have perhaps made an artists book (or books) which would
have been an enriching and tremendous addition to the realm of
art itself, not just artists books.
- Lucy Alexander, artist
Some of us choose to work within Artists/Books precisely because
of the utterly refreshing elusiveness of a set of defining LIMITATIONS.
- Melissa Jay Craig, director, Chicago Center for the Book
An artists' book is a book whose whole entity is intended to
be a work of art, where the design and structure are subordinate
to the communication, even though they may enhance it. I suppose
there would always be some works on the borderline between books
and artist's books and sculptures. But art is not something
that can be neatly divided into categories, which doesn't mean
that categories can't be useful if you aren't rigid about them.
The problem (for the
purists), however, is when a work is created which ignores -
or defies - one or more aspects of the traditional book, such
as the pages being glued, nailed, or otherwise fastened together
so that the book will not open.
I have no doubt that, in time, the controversy will abate when
people realize that objects (or sculpture) which have been inspired
by, or heavily influenced by "the fetish-object known as book"
(to quote Stan Bevington), can be considered "artists books"
even though they don't conform in all respects to some ten-point
checklist of what makes a traditional book.
- Richard Miller, editor, Canadian Bookbinder and Book Artist
Guild Newsletter
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