If Stephen King is right that “books are a uniquely portable magic”… then a book arts exhibit must be a special kind of sorcery.
“The Book as Art” gathers a dazzling array of handmade books at the Columbia City Gallery. They’re different from the books I alter, which are usually sealed shut (partially or completely). Although I make narrative art, the story is told within a more traditional volume. These artworks tend to deconstruct the book design itself. It’s fascinating to see what qualifies as a “book" in an artist’s opinion, and what materials they choose to manipulate.
MalPina Chan, “The Evil Eye:: Envy and Jealousy”
Narrowing down the selection must’ve been a nightmare for MalPina Chan and her co-curators. But installation day… now that I would’ve volunteered enthusiastically to do.
Getting back to the “portable” part of the magic, though, I can’t escape the desire to hold a book in my hands. How do you allow people to get a good feel for the artwork, literally and figuratively?
Fortunately, there’s a time and place to ask: the book artist panel discussion at the gallery tomorrow, October 19th, at 4pm. After a couple hours in this magicians’ workshop, maybe I’ll walk out with a few secrets I can take back to my own studio.
