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1,000 Artists' Books: Exploring the Book as Art
The book is a timeless art form, one that is as alive today as ever before, and artists continue to explore and explode the boundaries of what a book is and can be. In this beautiful collection, you will experience close-up various aspects of hand-crafted books: covers, bindings, scrolls, folded and origami structures and books made from found objects. You will find richly illustrated and calligraphed pages as well as books created from a variety of printed processes. Ingenuity and creativity abounds in this carefully curated collection of both historically important and modern works.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 8, 2012
Visually this book is gorgeous. There is plenty of eye candy and the variety of styles and constructions of the books featured make 1,000 Artists' Books interesting and inspiring to aspiring book artists and crafters.
However I was disappointed for several reasons. I understand this is one of Quarry Books' 1,000 series but the book title is deceptive. There are not 1,000 books, but 1,000 images, with some books featured with more than one photograph. I also didn't like how the book is laid out - the artists' books featured are displayed with their creators credited, but to get any more information, you have to refer to the directory at the back, which I eventually made a copy of so I didn't have to keep flipping back and forth to know more about what I was looking at. The directory itself I found disappointing as well. It lists the books' names and the materials and bindings used to make them, but in most cases, it doesn't offer any description of the content of the artworks (other than to say they include illustrations or text) or the artists' intent. That made it difficult to get a sense of the purpose or the importance of the works, making the experience mostly two-dimensional for me (although a very pleasing 2D gallery visit).
I would have liked to have had a better idea of why these books were chosen. Because they look good, if I understand correctly from what one the reviewers wrote, two of whose books are featured. That's fine and the images are all well-photographed and extremely attractive, but it didn't add to my understanding of book arts or what a powerful artistic medium it can be. I most appreciated the book where there was even the shortest description - for instance Jerry Bleem's Collateral Damage (Uncorrected), which was crafted with lint from US flags on lint roller sheets with correction fluid used to transcribe letters written by two soldiers, one in 1861 and the other in 2003.
Still, there is no doubt the book is a visual feast. It is organized by binding and the first few sections (codex books, according and foldable books, single-sheet books) feature books in more traditional forms. The more unusual constructions are found in the sculptural books section, where we're shown installation art pieces, hanging sculptures, carved books, paper cut pieces and wearable books, among others. Some of these I've already seen online or in other books, but there is still a lot to admire.
Overall, I did enjoy the book although I found it somewhat superficial. I would have liked to have seen more artists' books that push the boundary of what is considered a book and a better presentation of what an artists' book can accomplish in conveying a message.
However I was disappointed for several reasons. I understand this is one of Quarry Books' 1,000 series but the book title is deceptive. There are not 1,000 books, but 1,000 images, with some books featured with more than one photograph. I also didn't like how the book is laid out - the artists' books featured are displayed with their creators credited, but to get any more information, you have to refer to the directory at the back, which I eventually made a copy of so I didn't have to keep flipping back and forth to know more about what I was looking at. The directory itself I found disappointing as well. It lists the books' names and the materials and bindings used to make them, but in most cases, it doesn't offer any description of the content of the artworks (other than to say they include illustrations or text) or the artists' intent. That made it difficult to get a sense of the purpose or the importance of the works, making the experience mostly two-dimensional for me (although a very pleasing 2D gallery visit).
I would have liked to have had a better idea of why these books were chosen. Because they look good, if I understand correctly from what one the reviewers wrote, two of whose books are featured. That's fine and the images are all well-photographed and extremely attractive, but it didn't add to my understanding of book arts or what a powerful artistic medium it can be. I most appreciated the book where there was even the shortest description - for instance Jerry Bleem's Collateral Damage (Uncorrected), which was crafted with lint from US flags on lint roller sheets with correction fluid used to transcribe letters written by two soldiers, one in 1861 and the other in 2003.
Still, there is no doubt the book is a visual feast. It is organized by binding and the first few sections (codex books, according and foldable books, single-sheet books) feature books in more traditional forms. The more unusual constructions are found in the sculptural books section, where we're shown installation art pieces, hanging sculptures, carved books, paper cut pieces and wearable books, among others. Some of these I've already seen online or in other books, but there is still a lot to admire.
Overall, I did enjoy the book although I found it somewhat superficial. I would have liked to have seen more artists' books that push the boundary of what is considered a book and a better presentation of what an artists' book can accomplish in conveying a message.
June 14, 2019
Beautiful and ugly, fascinating and puzzling, this volume has 1000 photos of artists' books (not 1000 books, themselves, as I had thought). Worth lingering over these specimens! Certain to cause you to want to create your own.
March 31, 2016
Such beautiful books! (Some by former classmates and teachers!)
June 28, 2023
In relatively recent years, sculptors from a number of different countries have created an entirely new subgenre of modern sculpture. There is a growing number of sculptors and art students who now enjoy crafting sculptures from books.
Sculptures in which books are the primary medium is a relatively new art form, "book art" (for the lack of anything else to call this art form) occupies a unique niche in modern outsider art.
Because this is a relatively new form of sculpture, there are only a small handful of books which have been written about the sculptors in different countries who are turning old books (presumably mostly obsolete editions of books which have been superceded by newer editions) into sculptures.
If you're interested in learning about a new subgenre of 21st century folk art, then I do highly recommend "1,000 Artists' Books: Exploring The Book As Art".
If you're not familiar with "book art," or sculptures that sculptors have assembled from books and you're contemplating whether or not you think that you'll be interested in reading this book, you can find photos of book art very quickly by using the "images" feature in the common search engines. The sculptors who craft book art usually give a whimsical and humorous quality to the pieces that they create.
In addition to including color photos of works of book art which have been created by art students and sculptors in a number of different countries, Peter and Donna Thomas and Sandra Salamony include brief descriptions of the processes by which sculptors craft works of book art as well as the reasons that some 21st century sculptors and art students choose to work with this medium.
Sculptures in which books are the primary medium is a relatively new art form, "book art" (for the lack of anything else to call this art form) occupies a unique niche in modern outsider art.
Because this is a relatively new form of sculpture, there are only a small handful of books which have been written about the sculptors in different countries who are turning old books (presumably mostly obsolete editions of books which have been superceded by newer editions) into sculptures.
If you're interested in learning about a new subgenre of 21st century folk art, then I do highly recommend "1,000 Artists' Books: Exploring The Book As Art".
If you're not familiar with "book art," or sculptures that sculptors have assembled from books and you're contemplating whether or not you think that you'll be interested in reading this book, you can find photos of book art very quickly by using the "images" feature in the common search engines. The sculptors who craft book art usually give a whimsical and humorous quality to the pieces that they create.
In addition to including color photos of works of book art which have been created by art students and sculptors in a number of different countries, Peter and Donna Thomas and Sandra Salamony include brief descriptions of the processes by which sculptors craft works of book art as well as the reasons that some 21st century sculptors and art students choose to work with this medium.
October 11, 2020
This is more for inspiration to people who want to create art in the form of a book. The majority of the book is pictures of 1000 book art projects along with an entry number -- like an art gallery exhibit. At the back is a small description for each entry (but no instructions). There is also a list of all the artists in the back with contact information. The entries present artists from all over the world using all types of media, no two are alike. I enjoyed going through the pictures, some rather quickly but there were quite a few that were unique and very interesting that made me pause to look at all the details.
March 19, 2024
Beautiful art, very inspiring.
May 14, 2024
I've been book-hogging this one from my library for sometime now.
It contains fascinating examples of bookbinding magic and endless inspiration.
It contains fascinating examples of bookbinding magic and endless inspiration.
June 8, 2024
Suitable for inspiration, not for education
December 18, 2012
(More pictures on my blog)
1000 Artists' Books has some of the most fascinating hand-crafted books I've ever seen. This 320-page paperback packs 1000 wonderful pictures of them.
You'll be amazed at what can be turned into pages and books. There are books with wooden covers, one that looks like a guitar, another is a building complete with signage, one literally has a nest of eggs. Many use specially designed paper, like clear plastic, sponge-like seaweed thing, canvas of indescribable textures and more. There are so many different treatment and presentation. Every page is a surprise.
Towards the back is a section called Sculptural Books that really push the concept of what's possible. Although they no longer fall into the categories as books, they still are great pieces of art and craft.
Fascinating collection of artists books.
March 19, 2015
Amazing, astounding, audacious and awesome! Those are only some of the adjectives that popped into my mind while perusing this beautiful book. It is all of these and we haven't even gotten to the b's yet. The scope of wit and art and imagination displayed in these pages is breath-taking. Here are photographs of books as art objects ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. Some of my favorites were the clear acryllic see through version of H. G. Wells' Invisible Man, the guitar book created of cross sections of actual guitars, and the mythology book with the illustration of the God of Good Parking Spaces.(I think I have said a prayer or two to that deity.) I also coveted the sculptured books representing such famed items as the late lamented Buddhas at Bamiyan and the Treasury of Petra. I said "I want that!" so loudly that I startled the cat. I think if you give this a try, you too, may say "I want that" or maybe even "I'd like to make that."
November 29, 2016
Turning the pages of this book I was struck by how ingenious and practical can be the current book design. Else, marveling at the horrible inventions inside looks like marveling at the beauty of a triangular wheels of a car that is slowly getting into the asphalt.
September 1, 2016
Amazing art. What is a book? What a vast variety - codex, accordion, single page, and sculptural.
June 2, 2019
Pleased to be included amongst these fine and creative book artists.
May 19, 2013
wow. just wow... I'm so inspired to get back in the studio right now and MAKE STUFF!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews