The Century of Artists' Books

The Century of Artists' Books examines the development and significance of artists' books as an art form in the 20th century. This scholarly text provides context about how artists have used the book format as a medium for creative expression. Drucker analyzes hundreds of artists' books through multiple frameworks including their conceptual, visual, and material elements. She explores the relationships between text, image, and structure while documenting key works and practitioners in the field. The book contains detailed discussions of production methods, distribution approaches, and the role of artists' books within larger art movements and institutions. Technical aspects of bookmaking are considered alongside theoretical perspectives on books as artistic objects. This comprehensive study positions artists' books as a vital intersection of visual art, literature, and craft that challenges traditional categories. The text illuminates how this hybrid form enables unique explorations of sequence, space, and reader engagement.

Readers value this book as a comprehensive academic examination of artists' books, particularly for its thorough documentation and analysis of works from the 1970s-90s. Many note its usefulness as a reference text for students and practitioners. Likes: - Detailed historical context and evolution of the medium - High-quality images and examples - Strong theoretical framework - Clear categorization of different book arts approaches Dislikes: - Dense, academic writing style that some find difficult to follow - Focus primarily on late 20th century works - High price point - Some readers wanted more practical instruction/techniques Ratings: Goodreads: 4.13/5 (54 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (15 reviews) Review quotes: "Excellent resource but not for beginners" - Amazon reviewer "The definitive academic text on artists' books" - Goodreads user "Writing can be overly complex but content is worth the effort" - LibraryThing review

The Art of the Book by Victoria Bean and Chris McCabe A historical and technical examination of book arts, artist books, and experimental publishing from the 20th century to present day.

Book Art Studio Handbook by Stacie Dolin, Amy Lapidow A technical guide to bookmaking techniques, materials, and structures used in creating artist books and handmade books.

Artists' Books: A Critical Anthology and Sourcebook by Joan Lyons A collection of essays and documentation that explores the development of artists' books as an art form through historical examples and theoretical discourse.

500 Handmade Books by Julie Chen A catalog of contemporary book arts featuring works from international artists who push the boundaries of what constitutes a book.

Non-Adhesive Binding by Keith Smith A comprehensive instruction manual for creating experimental book structures without glue, presenting both traditional and innovative binding methods.

✦ Johanna Drucker is not only a book historian but also an experimental visual poet and letterpress printer who has created her own artists' books since the 1970s ✦ The Century of Artists' Books was the first comprehensive study of artists' books as a 20th-century art form when published in 1995 ✦ The term "artists' books" gained prominence in the 1970s to distinguish the artistic medium from traditional fine press or illustrated books ✦ The book explores how artists' books challenge traditional definitions of "bookness" by experimenting with form, materials, and the relationship between text and image ✦ Drucker has served as the Robertson Professor of Media Studies at the University of Virginia and has written extensively on typography, visual poetry, and digital humanities