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Artists' books (also called bookworks) are works of art realized in the form of a book. They are usually published in small editions, though sometimes they are one-of-a-kind objects. Artists' books have employed a wide range of forms, including scrolls, fold-outs or loose items contained in a box.

Although artists have been active in printing and book production for centuries, the artist's book is primarily a 20th century form.

Contents 1 History 2 Journals covering the field 3 Critical Issues and Debate 4 Centers of Activity 4.1 United States 4.1.1 Alabama 4.1.2 California 4.1.3 Georgia 4.1.4 New Jersey 4.1.5 New York 4.1.6 Chicago 4.1.7 Philadelphia 4.1.8 Minnesota 4.1.9 Mississippi 4.1.10 Wisconsin 4.1.11 Ohio 4.1.12 Other Centers 4.2 Canada 4.3 Europe 4.3.1 United Kingdom 4.3.1.1 London 4.3.1.2 Bristol 4.4 Lithuania 4.5 Australia 4.6 Korea 5 References 6 Further reading 7 See also 8 External links 8.1 Exhibits and collections

Inexpensive artists' books were an important part of several avant-garde practices that attempted to democratize access to art. The Dada and surrealist movements in the early decades of the 20th century produced an explosion of experimental publications by artists, as did Futurism and Russian Constructivism. Examples include 3-dimensional book-objects by Marcel Duchamp and the collage novels of Max Ernst, as well as typographical experiments by F.T. Marinetti. Books were produced by members of the loosely affiliated Fluxus group beginning in the early 1960s, including artists such as George Maciunas and Yoko Ono, whose shared values included an emphasis on ephemeral forms. Artists associated with the Pop Art movement of the mid-1960s, such as Andy Warhol and Ed Ruscha, produced well-known artist's books. Seth Siegelaub helped propel conceptual art into the world of artists books in the late 60s, publishing artists works as books that were exhibited in place of artworks. These included artists such as Sol Lewitt, Robert Barry, Douglas Huebler, Lawrence Weiner and many more. Conceptual artists in particular went on to make a small industry out of artists' books. Contemporary and post-conceptual artists also made artist's books an important aspect of their practice, notably William Wegman, Bob Cobbing, Gilbert & George, Martin Kippenberger and Raymond Pettibon.

In the early 1970s the artist's book began to be recognized as a distinct genre, and with this recognition came the beginnings of critical appreciation of and debate on the subject. Institutions devoted to the study and teaching of the form were founded (The Center for Book Arts in New York, for example); library and art museum collections began to create new rubrics with which to classify and catalogue artists' books and also began to actively expand their fledgling collections; new collections were founded (such as Franklin Furnace in New York); and numerous group exhibitions of artist's books were organised in Europe and America (notably one at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia in 1973, the catalog of which, according to Stefan Klima's Artists Books: A Critical Survey of the Literature, is the first place the term "Artist's Book" was used). Bookstores specializing in artists' books were founded, usually by artists, including Ecart in 1968 (Geneva), Other Books and So in 1970 (Amsterdam), Art Metropole in 1974 (Toronto) and Printed Matter in New York (1976). All of these also had publishing programmes over the years, and the latter two are still active today.

In the 1980s this consolidation of the field intensified, with an increasing number of practitioners, greater commercialization, and also the appearance of a number of critical publications devoted to the form. In 1983, for example, Cathy Courtney began a regular column for the London-based Art Monthly (Courtney contributed articles for 17 years, and this feature continues today with different contributors). The Library of Congress adopted the term artists books in 1980 in its list of established subjects.

In the 1990s, BA, MA and MFA programs in Book Art were founded, some notable examples of which are the BA at Mills College in California, the MFA at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and the MA at Camberwell College of Art in London. The Journal of Artists' Books (JAB) was founded in 1994 to "raise the level of critical enquiry about artists' books."

In recent decades the artist's book has been developed, by way of the Artists' record album concept pioneered by Laurie Anderson into new media forms including the artist's CD-ROM and the artist's DVD-ROM.

• Founded and edited by Judith Hoffberg, Umbrella is one of the oldest and most comprehensive online periodicals covering artists’ books and other multiple editions. Umbrella is freely available online for the years 1978-2005 through the Digital Collections of the IUPUI University Library.
• The Journal of Artists' Books, JAB, was created by Brad Freeman in 1994 to develop a critical forum for the discussion of Artists' Books. JAB suspended publication from 2004 to 2006. The JAB archive was sold to Yale University in the summer of 2007, just as the journal relocated to the Columbia College Chicago Center for Book and Paper.

A number of issues around the artist's book have been vigorously debated. Some of the major themes under examination have been:

1. Definition of the Artist's Book
2. Where the artist's book 'should' be situated in relation to Craft and Fine Art traditions.

In 1985, University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama began to offer a MFA Program in the Book Arts in the School of Library and Informational Studies. This program offers printing/publishing, bookbinding, papermaking, and the history of the book with a concentration in making books by hand.

Edith Frohock taught Book Arts at University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama. Frohock, who specialized in painting, printmaking and Book arts and was the first instructor to teach book arts in the South. There is a scholarship set up in Frohock's name. The scholarship is for students interested in the art of the book. Past recipients of this scholarship include Joel Seah, Alan Skees, Janice Weeks and Leslie Wheatley among others. Mary Ann Sampson credits Frohock for steering her in the direction of book arts.

Space One Eleven in Birmingham, Alabama is a not-for-profit under the direction of Anne Arrasmith and Peter Prinz. The organization has exhibited books as art on numerous occasions including the work of Larry Gens Anderson, Pinky Bass, Jon Coffelt, Edith Frohock, Anne Howard, Joni Mabe, Mary Ann Sampson, David Sandlin, Joel Seah and Marie Weaver among many others who have worked in book arts.

Agnes 1992-2000 was the first commercial gallery to show book arts in the South and one of only a handful in the country. During its eight years, the gallery exhibited the book work of many noteworthy book artists including Sara Garden Armstrong, Pinky Bass, Mare Blocker, Elisa Bryan, Denise Carbone, Al Edwards, Susan Hensel, Jenny Holzer, Davi Det Hompson, Sally Johnson, Susan E. King, Jim Koss, Ruth Laxson, Miranda Maher, Emily Martin, Vicki Ragan, Tut Altman Riddick, Anita Ronderos, Jessica Rosner, Ed Ruscha, David Sandlin, Claire Jeanine Satin and Joel Seah.

Los Angeles is considered the founding home of Book Arts. "Twenty-Six Gasoline Stations," created by Ed Ruscha in California in 1964 is considered by many as the first Book arts piece with "Every Building on the Sunset Strip" in 1966, Ed Ruscha captured a landscape of Los Angeles that conveyed the complex task of defining a landscape without an explicit center." This also helped define the genre of artists' books. [1]

The Women's Graphic Center began at the Woman's Building in 1973 and provided presses, studio space, and support for women artists to create artists books. Exhibitions were also held in the Woman's Building galleries. The center closed in 1991.

Otis College of Art and Design under the direction of Joan Hugo began collecting and exhibiting artists' books in the 1960s. The Lab Press was founded in the 1970s by Sheila Levrant de Bretteville to teach printing and the making of books.

In Northern California, the San Francisco Center for the Book began 1996. The Center actively exhibits artists' books and offers workshops and exhibitions. The SFCB was based on The Center for Book Arts in New York and the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis.

Nexus Press, in Atlanta, was a major publisher of artists books. Founded in 1978 by Michael Goodman and Gary Lee Super, Nexus Press encouraged artists to make books as original works of art. Nexus Press was one of the few artists book publishing centers that provided artists with access to offset lithography as a creative process. Though the press also had letterpress equipment, it never was a center for fine print production. It was a center for experimental book production and produced more than 150 titles, including I Want to Take Picture, by Bill Burke. The Atlanta Contemporary Art Center suspended all Nexus Press operations in 2003.

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey has several significant programs that support artists' books. The Brodsky Center (formerly, Rutgers Center for Innovative Print and Paper), in New Brunswick, NJ founded by Judith K. Brodsky teaches classes in book-making with an emphasis on both traditional and non-traditional (artists') books. The Rutgers University Libraries support an annual event in the fall on its Newark, NJ campus, it calls The New Jersey Book Arts Symposium. Begun in 1994, the NJBAS consistently showcases artists' books by artists who reside, work, or were born or educated in the state, although its inclusive focus falls on every facet of the book arts. As well as featuring presentations by New Jersey artists, the NJBAS includes extended considerations of topics deemed of moment to students and practitioners of the book arts. The NJBAS goes beyond state borders and invites presenters from all parts of the world to speak when their expertise dovetails with that year's topic. The Symposium has posted numerous web pages including a photographic essay on a recent symposium on the relation of artists and collectors of artists' books.

Women's Studio Workshop is a major center for artists' books residencies and distribution in upstate New York.

The Center for Book Arts in New York City was founded in 1974, and since that time it has mounted over 140 exhibitions of artists’ books. It runs an active lecture series, provides services to artists (including internships, residencies, and apprenticeship programs), and currently offers over 100 classes and workshops in bookbinding, letterpress printing, paper marbling, typography, and related fields. It is “dedicated to preserving the traditional crafts of book-making, as well as exploring and encouraging contemporary interpretations of the book as an art object.” Among the many artists who have exhibited at the Center for Book Arts is the Swiss born and New York based illustrator Warja Honegger-Lavater.

The Franklin Furnace and Printed Matter were both founded in 1976, originally as one organization which quickly splintered into two projects: the Franklin Furnace as a major collection of artists' books; Printed Matter as a publisher and distributor. The Franklin Furnace Collection is now held at the Library of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Printed Matter continues to publish and distribute artists' books, but also mounts exhibitions of artists' books, hosts book launches, and acts as an advisory service to both artists and collecting institutions.

Booklyn was founded in 1999, Booklyn is an artist-run, nonprofit organization headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. Booklyn's mission is to promote artist books as an art form and educational resource; to provide educational institutions and the public with programming involving contemporary artist books; and to assist artists in exhibiting, distributing, and publishing innovative bookwork. One of the major contemporary book artists living in Brooklyn is Doug Beube.

In the Fall of 2007, SDCA (Seaport District Cultural Association) under its founding directors, Richard Sack, Jim Wintner and Florence Wack, opened SPACE gallery on Front street in the downtown seaport area of Manhattan. Jon Coffelt is the curator/director of SPACE upstairs book arts venue. The inaugural exhibition was the "Cuerpos Santos Series" by Pinky Bass. SPACE venue represents artists books as an out-of-the-vernacular experience seeing how far one can push the envelope of what is considered the book.

The Columbia College Chicago Center for Book and Paper, founded in 1994, offers a wide range of classes in papermaking, bookbinding, and printing, in addition to an active exhibition program, artists' residencies, and a lecture series. The Center is also home to the Interdiscipinary Arts MFA in Book and Paper, a graduate program focused on using the book arts in the production of contemporary art.

The Joan Flasch Artists' Book Collection, which is housed within the John M. Flaxman Library at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, is a large collection of artists' books. Click here to access the collection online. International in scope, the collection is strongest in works by American and European artists with work dating from the early 1960s to the present. In addition to over 4,000 artists' books, periodicals and multiples, the collection also houses reference materials to support the study of artists' books, various archives related to the field, and an extensive array of exhibition catalogs as works of art, pamphlets, and other ephemera. Anyone is welcome to visit the artists' book collection; all items may be viewed in the study room only. Hours of access vary slightly by semester.

Philadelphia has an active book arts community centered around the Book Arts/Printmaking graduate program at The University of the Arts and the Philadelphia Center for the Book, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to the medium.

Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis is the nation's largest and most comprehensive book arts center, offering extensive programs in papermaking, binding, printing, and other book-related art forms. The center has a large gallery space and sponsors a number of artist programs, including residencies, fellowships, and lecture series. In addition, educational opportunities are offered to both youth and adult learners through classes, tours, workshops and onsite visits.

Mississippi Artists Colony The colony, established in 1948 is one the oldest continuing artists colonies in the United Stated.[2] Notable instructors are Edith Frohock who taught book arts as well as, Larry Gens Anderson, Moe Brooker, Howard Goodson, Fred Mitchell, Shirley Romer, Johnnie Winona Ross and Hugh Williams.

Activity in the book arts in Wisconsin is centered around the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For many years, Walter Hamady taught in Madison, and countless notable book artists studied with him. His Perisahble Press, Ltd. is located nearby in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin. Today, a considerable community of book artists live and work in and around Madison. Madison is also home to the Wisconsin Center for Book & Paper Arts and the Silver Buckle Press http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/SBP/ .

Cincinnati has an active book arts community that formed The Cincinnati Book Arts Society approximately 9 years ago. Small but active, the society offers study groups, opportunities to exhibit, workshops and a friendly community of artists ranging from fine bookbinders, librarians, visual artists and novices. Visit the website for more information. The Cincinnati Book Arts Society in conjunction with the Cincinnati Public Library has for the past eight years sponsored an annual "BookWorks" exhibit at the downtown main library. Typically held in the spring, the exhibit features a wide range of books from small edition to one of a kind books.

The MFA in Book Arts program at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa began in 1985, and "emphasizes the art and craft of making books by hand." The 2.5 year program admits about 8 students per year. An important recent contribution to the field of artist's books has been the program's podcasts of interviews with "book people".

Art Metropole was founded by the three artists of General Idea in 1974 for the collection, distribution, publishing and promotion of artists' books. It continues today as one of the primary institutions for artists' books, with a regular exhibition programme, in addition to its publishing and distribution activities. The Art Metropole Collection, comprised of some 13,000 items, is now held by the Library of the National Gallery of Canada as a special collection.

Annual artist's book fairs in the UK include: 1. London Artists Book Fair ("LAB"), run by Marcus Campbell Art Books. 2. Small Publishers' Fair (London) 3. Dean Clough (Halifax) 4. Oxford Brookes University (Oxford) 5. Manchester Artist's Book Fair (Manchester - new; first fair to take place Autumn 2006) 6. COVERED! The Artist's Book Fair (London - 31 January - 3 February 2008)

Three of the earliest and most extensive collections of artists books worldwide are those of the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Library of Chelsea College of Art and Design, and the Hyman Kreitman Research Centre at Tate Britain. The Tate's collection numbers about 4,000 items, includes books dating from the 1960s onwards and is international in scope with an emphasis on British artists.

Since the mid 1990s, Camberwell College of Art (part of the University of the Arts, London) has run a 1-year master's degree programme in Book Art, graduating 10-15 students annually.

The London College of Communication (part of the University of the Arts, London)runs a 3-year BA degree programmer in book arts.

The bookartbookshop is a non-profit organisation founded in 2002 by Tanya Peixoto (co-founder of the Artist's Book Yearbook) and sells publications of artist presses and publishers of artists’ books.

The University of the West of England in Bristol publishes the bi-annual Artist's Book Yearbook, as well as a monthly newsletter on artists' books. Is beginning a new MA degree programme in artists' books in 2006.

5th International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius 2009. The theme - Text. Curator Kestutis Vasiliunas. Information: www.arts.lt, e-mail: vasiliunask@bokartas.lt

History: 5th International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius 2009 is organised as a continuation of the last Triennials. The 1st International Artist's Book Triennial took part in 1997, in Gallery “Kaire Desine”. The theme of it was “Diary: Eight Days”. 65 artists from 13 countries took part in the Triennial. The 2nd International Artist’s Book Triennial took part in 2000, in Gallery “Arka” and in “Galerie 5020” in Salzburg. The theme of it was “Apocalypse”. 138 artists from 29 countries took part in the Triennial. The 3rd International Artist’s Book Triennial took part in 2003, in the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius. The theme of it was “23 Sins”. 118 artists from 37 countries took part in the Triennial. After the exhibition in Vilnius the Triennial was showed in 2004 in Frankfurt Art Fair in Frankfurt on Main, Germany; in 2004 in Thomas Mannas’ House in Nida, Lithuania; in 2004 in Gallery “Le Carre” in Lille, France; The 4th International Artist’s Book Triennial took part in 2006, in the Gallery “Arka” in Vilnius. The theme of it was “Rabbit and House”. 130 artists from 29 countries took part in the Triennial. After the exhibition in Vilnius the Triennial was showed in 2007 in Leipzig Book Fair in Leipzig, Germany; in 2007 in Seoul International Book Arts Fair in Seoul, South Korea.

In Australia, Artspace Mackay, houses one of Australia’s most significant regional artists’ books collections, and also hosts Focus on Artists Books, a program that includes special exhibitions by leading Australian book artists, and an annual conference on artists’ books.

Southern Cross University in Northern NSW ^[1] has established a growing Artists Book collection housed in the University Library, the annual Southern Cross University Artists' Book Acquisitive Award and " the Codex Events" aimed at promoting papermaking & artists' books.

The Korean Book Arts Association^[2] sponsors the Seoul International Artists’ Books Fair.

• collection
• Korean Book Arts Association

• Abt, Jeffrey (1986) The Book Made Art: A Selection of Contemporary Artists' Books
• Alexander, Charles, ed. (1995) Talking the Boundless Book: Art, Language, and the Book Arts
• Bright, Betty (2005) No Longer Innocent: Book Art in America, 1960-1980
• Bury, Stephen (1995) Artists' Books: The Book As a Work of Art, 1963-1995
• Castleman, Riva (1994) A Century of Artists Books
• Celant, Germano and Tim Guest (1981) Books by Artists
• Celant, Germano, translated from the Italian by Corine Lotz (1972) Book as Artwork, 1960-72
• Drucker, Johanna (1995) The Century of Artists' Books
• Drucker, Johanna (1998) Figuring the Word: Essays on Books, Writing, and Visual Poetics
• Fusco, Maria and Ian Hunt (2006) Put About: A Critical Anthology on Independent Publishing
• Hubert, Rennée Riese, and Judd D. Hubert (1999) The Cutting Edge of Reading: Artists' Books
• Klima, Stefan (1998) Artists Books: A Critical Survey of the Literature
• Lauf, Cornelia and Clive Phillpot (1998) Artist/Author: Contemporary Artists' Books
• Lippard, Lucy (1973) Six years: The Dematerialization of the Art Object from 1966 to 1972
• Lyons, Joan, ed. (1985) Artists' Books: A Critical Anthology and Sourcebook
• Perrée, Rob (2002) Cover to Cover: The Artist's Book in Perspective
• Smith, Keith (1989) Structure of the Visual Book

• Altered book
• Bookbinding
• Illuminated manuscript
• Letterpress printing
• Miniature book
• Zine

• Book Arts at the Open Directory Project
• Journal of Artists' Books
• Yale Arts Library's Book Arts link directory
• Book Arts Web

• The Victoria and Albert Museum Book Artists' Books Collection
• "Bokartas", Lithuania
• Tate Britain's Collection of Artists' Books
• Otis College of Art and Design Online Collection
• Women's Studio Workshop Artists' Books Residencies
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Art Library Collection
• (German) Library of Artists' books from Hungary, (gallery at end of section)
• Hand Bookbindings from Princeton University Library
• Oberlin College, Clarence Ward Art Library, Artist Book Imagebase
• Artists' Books at the Kohler Art Library, The University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Digital Collection of Selections from the Kohler Art Library, The University of Wisconsin-Madison