Hi List, 

This thread gave me the idea of sharing our artists' book reference collection. Several years ago, Sheelagh Bevan, now at the Morgan Library, developed a ready reference collection for artists' books in our Queens location, and we now add to it regularly. Have a look - it's an interesting history of books on artists' books (there's even Arnaud Dejardin's The Book on Books on Artists' Books!). These also more topical books, like on artists' postcards or artists' magazines. You can see a list of the collection here in our OPAC. Thanks to Lily Pregill for creating the list. 

best, David 

ps - love to hear suggestions if you notice any glaring omissions in the bibliography! 



On Thu, Jul 31, 2014 at 9:45 AM, Richard Minsky <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Alison.

Mo's link is an excellent resource.  One important item in the Hunt Library (Arts Reference) that I didn't see on the list is:
by Bright, Betty. Granary Books, 2005.
It's more than a quick read, but if anyone is seriously interested in the subject, it's a must-read.

If the exhibition includes any books on the environment, you have on hand in Toledo Bright's essay in the catalog:
Completing the circle : artists' books on the environment / Betty Bright, curator.
Bright, Betty
Minneapolis : Minnesota Center for Book Arts, 1992.
An interesting discussion would be to compare the related book(s) on view to works done two decades ago.

More generally, for several quick reads that would give a variety of discussion topics, in Toledo you have:
Buzzwords : interviews with Buzz Spector
Spector, Buzz
Alatalo, Sally
Chicago, Illinois : Sara Ranchouse Publishing, c2012.
[68 p.] ; 21 cm.

For critical study of artist's books, I assign students two articles in The Bonefolder that are free downloads in PDF:

Johanna Drucker, “Critical Issues / Exemplary Works,” The Bonefolder: an e-journal for the bookbinder and book artist, vol. 1, no. 2 (Spring 2005).

Gary Frost, “Reading by Hand: the haptic evaluation of artists’ books.” The Bonefolder: an e-journal for the bookbinder and book artist, Vol. 2, no. 1 (Fall 2005).

Before the first class I assign the following list, so they can discuss the question, "What is a book?"

Read through the archived discussion from the Book_Arts-L listserv:
http://www.philobiblon.com/whatisabook.shtml

Read the Introduction and look through the exhibition catalog Book Arts in the USA:
http://www.centerforbookarts.org/exhibits/archive/catalog.asp?showID=81

If you have time, take a look at the catalog for The First Decade:
http://www.centerforbookarts.org/exhibits/archive/catalog.asp?showID=80

and The Guild of Book Workers 100th Anniversary Exhibition
http://www.guildofbookworkers.org/gallery/100anniversary/index.shtml


Before doing the assignment of creating art using an existing book, they read the exhibition catalog for The Altered Page:
http://www.centerforbookarts.org/exhibits/archive/catalog.asp?showID=47

--
Richard

On 7/30/2014 1:47 PM, Maureen Dawley wrote:

Here’s my artist book guide in case it may help: http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/md2z/art/artistsbooks.html.
Feel free to e-mail me individually!
Mo



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--
David Senior
Bibliographer
Museum of Modern Art Library
11 W. 53rd St.
New York, NY 10019
212-708-9863

http://momalibrary.tumblr.com/ 


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