'Origin' by Dan Essig
The Time Travelers exhibition, on view at the BookWorks Gallery, opening January 17 (1 – 8 PM) through February 29, showcases a juried selection of artist books inspired by historical bookbinding. The books on display demonstrate technical skill and artistic expression within an historical framework. Artists used binding structures representing a range of cultural traditions and periods, showing how handmade book practices have transformed over time and distance.
The exhibit is particularly focused on books made by hand with special attention to the artists’ personal research into an historical structure, including design sensibilities and techniques.
Jana Pullman, bookbinder, book conservator and book arts instructor, who resides in Minneapolis, MN, was the juror for Time Travelers : Historical Book Structures. She says, “It was an honor to have been asked to be a juror for this exhibition. I have had a long-standing interest in the history of binding structure and was pleased to see others do too. We have a heritage of thousands of years and countless artisans to learn from.”
Ms. Pullman was struck by the rich diversity of the work and how artists are taking this rich history of bookbinding and using it in contemporary ways. “Experimentation with materials has been a regular practice in the field of bookmaking and the work in this exhibition shows that this experimentation continues. As we move forward with our work in book arts we will always have the firm
'Duration: 20 Devices' by James Reid Cunningham
foundation of the work done before.”
Asheville artist, Daniel Essig’s piece gives us not only an historical book structure but also a sculptural setting to house the book. His innovative interpretation of book structure and aesthetics give the work a look and feel of age and history and it is only fitting that it holds a book whose sewing structure dates back to the 4th century.
Papyrus sheets held together with ticketing is one of the earliest codex forms dating around the 4th century. From Cambridge, MA, James Reid Cunningham’s book takes these materials and techniques and gives it a twist with an angled shape to the book and then carries these angles through to his imagery on the pages and slipcase.
Paying homage to the look and patterns in early medieval bindings Madelyn Garrett’s beaded covers displays the intense craftsmanship and skill involved in binding. Her sensitivity with color and pattern in this work gives richness to the pieces reminiscent of treasure bindings. Ms. Garret lives and works in South Jordan, UT.
The theme of taking an earlier structure and giving it a distinctive modern feel is also seen in Karen Hanmer’s book. Based on the scaleboard binding, which was popular in Colonial America in the 16th to the 19th century, her use of color with wooden covers and
'The Sinfulness and Pernicious Nature of Gaming' by Karen Hanmer
snakeskin brings the book into our century. Ms. Hanmer resides in Glenview, IL.
On Tuesday, February 7th at 6 PM, Asheville BookWorks will host an illustrated lecture called Telling the Tale: A Brief History of Binding and Illustration in European Manuscripts and Incunabula presented by Laura Dufresne, Ph.D. and Laura Gardner, Ph.D. from Winthrop University, SC.
Laura Dufresne, art historian, and Laura Garnder, artist and art educator, come to book arts sharing a love for the book as a holder of meaning, a vehicle for ideas and stories, and as an aesthetic and historic structure. Together they teach a book arts class at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and have presented regionally and internationally on book arts, collaborative and interdiscipinary learning.
BookWorks Gallery is open M – F, 1 – 5 PM and on Saturdays, 1 – 4 PM.
Asheville BookWorks will host the 2012 Wood Engravers Network (WEN) Workshop, June 4 – 8, 2012.
