Jen Library Reference Department

CC image by Flickr user Nutmeg

Hey artists’ books fans! Don’t forget that SCAD’s Third Annual Artists’ Book Symposium, “Variant Hues”, takes place this weekend at SCAD-Atlanta’s ACA Library. There are student workshops with visiting artist Macy Chadwick as well as great publications to be seen from Vamp and Tramp, purveyors of artists’ books and fine/ small press editions. Events run all day on both Friday, March 12 and Saturday, March 13.

While you’re enjoying the symposium, be sure to visit Trois Gallery for “No Translation Required: Artists’ Books in Germany and Georgia“. This exhibit represents a collaboration between SCAD, the University of the Arts, Braunschweig, Germany, and the Klingspor Museum, Offenbach, Germany. It showcases selections of the best contemporary book art in each country. It will be on view through April 16th.

And if you’re not able to make it to Atlanta, Jen Library has plenty of materials on handmade and artists’ books. Whether you want to view an original, gain research or inspirational information, or make your own, there’s lots to explore! Here are a few individual titles to get you started:

• The Century of Artists Books -  N7433.3 .D78 2004
• Cuban Artists Books and Prints – N7433.35.C9 C83 2009
• Eye on Europe: Prints, Books and Multiples, 1960 to Now – NC225 .W93 2006
• Non-Adhesive Binding – Z 271 .S66 1992
• Books, Boxes and Portfolios – Z271 .Z4413 1990
• Artists’ Multiples, 1935 – 2000 – N6494.M8 B87 2001

Printmakers, Renaissance history buffs as well as interactive designers: check out the excellent website for The Brilliant Line! The exhibit, now on view at the Museum Of Art at RISD, highlights the work of key Renaissance and Baroque engravers from throughout Europe. While it’s sure to be a fine showing of great art and excellent scholarship, the accompanying website is really stunning, because it shows users exactly how these masters created their etchings, layer by layer. Select a work and click “analyze lines” to give it a test drive, as I did with Robetto’s “Adoration of the Magi”:

Analyze Lines feature - via the Museum of Art at RISD

I couldn’t help but be reminded of MoMA’s “What is a Print?” tutorial. Fine printmaking is a rather obscure process to many, and both of these sites do an excellent job of explaining print history and technique for a general audience.

Have you been “wowed” by an exhibition website recently? Add a comment to tell us about it!

Diller Scofidio’s Library © Carlos Solis - via archdaily.com

Fall Quarter will soon be upon us, but those of you lingering in the NYC area might want to check out this fascinating ongoing exhibit: Unpacking My Library: Architects and their Books , on view at Urban Center Books. A prolific architect’s library is featured each month; Liz Diller and Ric Scofidio are headlining September. For those of you who can’t make it there in person, the exhibition website features some interesting highlights, and a catalog will be published later this year – leave a comment if you’d like to see it at the Jen Library!

The organizers state: “Each architect’s library is unique and informs their practice in surprising ways. Their personal statements, and favorite books, show that they are not bound by architectural themes or a canonizing of architectural history.” What an interesting way to demonstrate the wide-ranging and very personal sources of inspiration and research that architects, designers, and artists require. Collections of text, images, and random bits of paper and ephemera can form a creative laboratory of sorts, and upon examination reveal quite a lot about the keeper’s interests and history.

A quick Google search reveals that there are plenty of artists and designers who love books, and are blogging about it. A few examples can be seen here, here, and here.

Do you have book collection? How does reading fit into your daily practice? Is there a book that is a must-read for others in your area of specialization? Tell us about it!