Artists’ books are works of art that are realized in the form of a book. Generally published in limited editions or as unique works of art, artists’ books can take many forms. For example, DAAP Library’s collection includes concertinas, games, painted cards, and quilts with text. Although book printers have experimented with unique looks for their products for centuries, the artists’ book is primarily a twentieth and twenty-first century art form.
Up until recently, there wasn’t a collection focus per se. Instead, we allowed the collection to develop in interesting ways. That said, recently we decided to establish a collection focus. We’re going to collect artists’ books which focus on cultural, racial, and sexual diversity, a focus that we feel aligns well with the interests of UC as an institution as well as the greater UC community. Many of the books in our current collection deal with diversity as a theme, particularly sexual diversity, and we hope to acquire many more artists’ books that promote or feature issues of diversity and multiculturalism.
We created this blog to increase awareness of and engagement with our lovely artists’ book collection. By making images of the books available online, we are sharing them with a much larger audience, especially those who are unable to view the books in person. A wider audience is especially relevant to our new collection focus on diversity issues.
From a limited edition of 50 copies. Damara Kaminecki, drawing & concept, Jeremy Schmall, text ; Sara Parkel, Mark Wagner, Amy Mees, & Cat Glennon, production. Text of poem printed on p. 3 of cover. Further text printed on rectos and versos of 16 illustrations arms and hands mounted on accordion strips forming the spine of the book. Brooklyn, NY: Booklyn Artists Alliance, 2007.
Damara Kaminecki has produced an array of inventive put downs that can be read as long phrases. The poem on one side of the covers is smartly formatted leading you slowly on to the "in your face" ending.
ReplyDeleteI believe the image above is not the copy in DAAP, created at the Booklyn Artists Alliance, rather it is a 2006 version that D. Kaminecki did independently as part of the Book Arts Web online exhibit Flag Book Bind O Rama.
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