By Janet Sellers
- What is contemporary art?
- What is an artist book?
- What are artist books and artist book print editions?
What is contemporary art?
Contemporary art is art made by living artists and encompasses a wide range of materials from the precious to everyday objects or materials, and includes electronic media and ephemera (typically, written, or printed items of collectible memorabilia).
The aesthetic value resides in the intention or purpose of the artwork instead of mere materials. Artists sell prints of their work from their own paintings, photography and their artist book images printed on a variety of materials including paper, cloth, wood, natural and synthetic as well as recycled materials. Mass production of the artists’ works are often made in posters and in mass-produced books by museums and publishing houses.
What is an artist book?
Around 1783, William Blake’s first collection of poems, Poetical Sketches, was printed. As artist, poet, and printmaker, he may be the forerunner of artist books, making his own books with words and images, and predecessor to the artist books of the 1960s. Artist books since the 1950s are considered an independent, unconventional art medium, an appealing alternative space for art.
The Smithsonian Library explains, “… In the United States, Ed Ruscha produced some of the first artist books consisting of compilations of photographs with a title on the front cover and little narrative quality. Other artists used the book format to create narratives to deal with difficult or emotional issues, and some used it as a cheap, portable way to make the artwork available to a broader public than the gallery and museum world allowed.… Books are meant to be touched, and their pages turned, but an art object is usually only experienced under glass in a museum. These are issues that affect the work of artists, practitioners of book arts, curators, museum collections staff, librarians, publishers, and others. Yet the problems of the ambivalent nature of the artist’s book is part of what gives it such interesting potential .…”
What are artist books and artist book print editions?
An artist book, Livre d’artiste, is art in book form. We might call it imagination that we can hold in our hands. The artist book creator has complete control over the creation, materials, content, and all aspects of the intention of the artwork. An artist book can be made of rare or common materials at hand for the artists’ creation, including upcycled paper or common printer paper. The latter is often used for artist books and repurposed books. The materials used are purposely chosen by the artist.
Artist books and prints represent powerful, personal aesthetic forces for communication. And unlike mass-produced books, artist books are intended for a smaller circulation of less than 1,000-5,000, often with smaller signed and numbered circulations of 1-100 for handmade prints, books or ‘zines. Artist books and prints are small scale and cost effective, using simple production processes. They are valued for their uniqueness and limited numbers and are collected by many, including the archives of museums, universities, and libraries worldwide.
Above: Downtown Monument venues hosted the annual No Boys Allowed Tour on April 20, with 250 tickets sold. Women patrons enjoyed special snacks and sales, and collected a free gift from every location, including Bella Art and Frame Gallery, shown here with artist Mark Dixon drawing people during the event. Downtown Monument Art Hop season starts May 18, 5-8 pm., showcasing local contemporary art and artists. Visitors enjoy and buy art while surrounded by live music, food, and fun. Photo courtesy of Maggie Williamson.
Janet Sellers is an artist, writer, and speaker. Her paintings, sculptures, and print artworks are exhibited coast to coast and locally in Colorado. Contact her at JanetSellers@ocn.me.