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Artists' Books

Learn about artists' books and explore the Libraries' collection.
A book spread with two cube-shaped maps of the world.

Isometric Systems in Isotropic Space: Map Projections from the Study of Distortions Series, 1973-1979

Agnes Denes, 1979.
 
This book maps human perimeters within the changing aspects of reality, and involves distortions and perspective, probability and space relations, transformations and interactions of phenomena.

Three booklets next to each other, one with a grey cover and red spine, the other more closely resembles a deck of cards, and the third a map with a blue spine.

Reading Hot Spots in New York City

Robbin Ami Silverberg, 2017.
 
Three booklets in a single slipcase, all with a thematic focus on reading and book collections in New York City, including the author's own library. The second book is constructed from a map of New York City with cut-outs and collaged sentences from other books laid atop.                                                                                                         

A partially unfolded map. The top half contains the title and a man's face.

Searching for Ludwig Wittgenstein: Lake Eidsvatnet, Skjolden, Sogn, Norway

Jan Estep, 2007.
 
Searching for Ludwig Wittgenstein is two-sided fold-out map that documents the geographic site of a small hut overlooking the the fjords of Norway where Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein would go to work in solitude.                                                       

A book spread with a poem on the left page and a black-and-white photo of a snowy mountain landscape on the right.

Mountains and Waters

Richard Long, 1993.
 

Richard Long takes nature treks, creating site-specific works along the way. Combining photography and simple recordings of what he sees, Long provides drastic vistas of various landscapes and creates maps that allow readers to follow his path.

A book spread featuring a screenshot from Google Maps of a location called 'Nowhere Else'.

Triste Tropique = Topographies of Sadness

Damien Rudd and Cécile Coulon, 2018.
 
This book is the first atlas that matches our darkest feelings. Started on the hugely popular Instagram account Sad Topographies that spread sadness worldwide, this collection of 89 maps is inspired by Google Maps.                                           

A spread of two maps, each with drawn lines and photographs collaged on top. The second page contains an insert that is partially pulled out.

Lost

Susan Hensel, 1994.
 
Chaotic images of maps with collaged materials including drawings and photographs.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              


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