What is a book?
The first definition comes up in Oxford English Dictionary is “a written or printed work consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers.”
What makes a book an artist’s book?
Under its “Art terms” section, MoMA defines it as
A term referring to publications conceived, designed, and illustrated by artists, often self-published or published by arts organizations in large or unlimited editions. These books are usually printed commercially with the photolithography (offset) technique and meant to be an affordable art form.
Both definitions say more about the form than the content.
Spending time with the Artists’ Books Collection has definitely expanded my understanding of what constitutes a book.
It is more than a medium that carries information.
Or the information it carries can be as unconventional as the author (in this case the artist) wishes.
I was curious to see how eccentric or playful an artist’s book can be, which led to the following read list of artists’ books that challenge the notion of a book. But I have to admit that I did not think a styrofoam block, a piece of mirror, or a pillow case could be the main component of an artist's book.
1. Mallarmé: The Book (2004)
by Klaus Scherübel
(Call Number: 0109)
2. The Consistency of Shadows : Exhibition Catalogs as Autonomous Works of Art (2003)
by Christian Boltanski
(Call Number: 0034)
3. Paul McCarthy's LOWLIFE SLOWLIFE : TIDEBOX TIDEBOOK (2010)
by Paul McCarthy, Stacen Berg, Jens Hoffmann, and CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts
(Call Number: 0524)
4. A BOX OF SMILE (198-?)
by Yōko Ono
(Call Number: 0604)
5. THE THING QUARTERLY ISSUE 22 JOHN BALDESSARI (2014)
by John Baldessari
(Call Number: 1010)
6. THE EYE OF THE STORM WORKS IN SITU BY DANIEL BUREN March 25-June 8, 2005 Guggenheim MUSEUM (2005)
by Bernard Blistène
(Call Number: 0105)
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