The DAAP Library Artists' Book Collection

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.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Scott McCarney, Memory Loss

Folded accordion style, binding consists of end boards and cord tie. Rochester, NY: Visual Studies Workshop Press, 1988.
http://www.scottmccarneyvisualbooks.com
http://www.califiabooks.com/
Posted by at
Labels: , ,

1 comment:

  1. DAAP LibraryAugust 10, 2010 at 8:45 AM

    Scott McCarney's piece really spoke to me even though it seemed to be more about head trauma. My grandmother had a form of dementia and lost her short term memory. On the side you see above there are pictures of people and medical illustrations of the head. There are also a bunch of words and phrases relating to the memory written on each fold. On the back side there are little notes that seem to be written by someone who has lost their memory.
    The words and images appear to be unified by their connection with memory. However, the one image I did not quite get was the images of all the snakes. Depending on certain cultures the snake can be considered good or bad. The snake may represent wisdom and rebirth or temptation and death. I am not sure what the artist was trying to portray with the snakes, but I'd like to think of it as representing the mind rebooting itself as a sort of rebirth.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)