Head of Digital and Special Collections
Johanna Bauman
She/Her
Contact:
Pratt Institute Libraries
Lower Level
speccoll.library@pratt.edu
Lower Level
speccoll.library@pratt.edu
718-687-5745
What is an Artist Book?
Artists’ books come in all shapes and sizes and resist an easy definition. At the most basic level, an artist book is a work of art in the form of a book or inspired by the idea of a book. Some book artists create small handcrafted editions that employ bookbinding, paper cutting and folding techniques to create a canvas on which they can then print, draw, write, or paint, while others make books that are mass-produced in larger editions. Below are some examples of the varied definition of artists’ books.
- Printed Matter | What is an artists’ book?Printed Matter is an organization devoted to books and publications made by artists. “Unlike an art book, catalog or monograph that tend to showcase artworks created in another medium, the term ‘artists’ books’ refers to publications that have been conceived as artworks in their own right. These ‘projects for the page’ are generally inexpensive, often produced in large or open editions, and are democratically available.”
- What is an artist’s book?This blog post from the Smithsonian provides some basic information about artists’ books. Their definition is: “An artist’s book is a medium of artistic expression that uses the form or function of “book” as inspiration.”
- What is an artist book? | bound : unboundbound : unbound is a book artist collective and this page contains a number of definitions from various members.