Book Arts at SU

Some local book arts news from Syracuse University libraries:

Book Arts exhibition on Bird Library sixth floor
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This new exhibition in the hall exhibit case on the sixth floor of E.S. Bird library features an exploration of the book by students in Foundation Bookmaking (FND 116) and Hand Paper Print/Book workshop (PRT 552) in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. The exhibition is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday through August 21.

During the first 2008 summer session, students in the Foundation Bookmaking class taught by Assistant Prof. Chris Wildrick learned to make books that are image-intensive from both art and design points of view. Students learned to create their own books using several book-binding techniques and approaches, including accordions and scrolls, pamphlet bindings, Japanese bindings, coptic bindings, altered books, and interactive books. The class investigated how books are structured, both within one single page and from page to page throughout the book. They also learned about digital layout techniques using InDesign as well as the options available for online self-publishing. Students in the class were drawn from diverse areas of the University, and came with a wide range of interests, experience, and skills.

One day in the month of April, the book artists of PRT 552, the book arts class in the College of Visual and Performing Arts taught by Associate Professor Holly Greenberg, were told to make an exchange of books with the sole requirement that they fit inside a wooden box. The students created two separate exchanges of eight books apiece, totaling sixteen books in all. In the end the groups came up with two greatly diverse exchanges: “Dirt,” based upon the concept of what things we may want to keep hidden or secret, and “Home,” which played off the theme of rooms in a house and associations made with the space. All students were encouraged to use a variety of binding techniques and materials, as well as raise the question of “what is a book?” Both groups collaborated with the PRT 552 teaching assistant on the exterior design of their boxes.