Artists' Books: Selections from UVM's Special Collections

January 17 - June 5, 2006
Wilbur Room

"Artists' books" are books that are designed and made by artists. Some are conceptual and others are made in the French tradition of the livres d'artiste, but all of them bring an artistŐs vision to the book medium. Most of these works include texts by poets and writers; some alter the text to change the meaning, while others are purely visual. Some artists' books follow the standard book form, others have pop-up interiors, while yet others are three-dimensional sculptures that can be returned to a rectangular format and shelved as books. Many are attracted to this form because there is an element of surprise as the book is opened, which continues as each page is turned. Artists are also drawn to the intimate nature of the book itself, wherein the reader/viewer experiences the objects in a quiet and focused interaction.

Inspired by the work of Claire Van Vliet,Vermont printer and book artist, the UVM Library has built an extraordinary collection of artists' books, from the United States, England, New Zealand, France, Italy, and Germany. The Fleming Museum is pleased to present a selection of these books in an exhibition curated by Special Collections librarian Connell Gallagher. Two rotations of artists' books will be on display during this exhibition: the first running through March 19th and the second beginning on March 21st.