Artists' Books in Special Collections at UC Santa Cruz
Hello & Welcome!
Hello & Welcome!
My name is Jessica Pigza. I am a librarian in Special Collections & Archives, the part of the University Library that makes unique documents, photographs, early printed books, oral histories, and art -- including artists' books -- available to you for study and exploration.
My name is Jessica Pigza. I am a librarian in Special Collections & Archives, the part of the University Library that makes unique documents, photographs, early printed books, oral histories, and art -- including artists' books -- available to you for study and exploration.
I will visit each of your sections of PRTR 1 (Academic Literacy and Ethos: Arts of Reading) in the coming weeks (your instructor will share the date) to talk about the library's artists' book collection.
I will visit each of your sections of PRTR 1 (Academic Literacy and Ethos: Arts of Reading) in the coming weeks (your instructor will share the date) to talk about the library's artists' book collection.
Your tasks before we meet:
Your tasks before we meet:
- read through the 4 paragraphs of text below
- watch the 12 brief mini-videos linked below
- visit McHenry Library's display of these 12 books (on the library's 3rd floor) - unless you're part of a distance-learning section, of course
- complete the 15 questions on a related Worksheet that your instructor has given you
By doing so you will:
By doing so you will:
- learn what artists' books are
- get to know some of the artists' books that we have here at UC Santa Cruz
- begin to gather ideas for the book arts project you will create this quarter as part of PRTR 1
Here's a view of the third floor hall of McHenry Library.
The Porter class book display is in the three cases you see to the right!
What are artists' books?
What are artists' books?
Art that draws on book making skills, approaches, and materials
Art that draws on book making skills, approaches, and materials
Artists' books are works of art created using some of the materials, structures, and creative formats that are found in books: paper, words, illustrations, bindings to hold the work together, a narrative to explore. Some artists' books look like books, but others may look more like paper sculptures, games, or even pieces of mail. Some artists use already-existing books as raw material, creating a new unique work by altering and transforming an old text. Some artists' books are one-of-a-kind creations, while others are produced in multiple copies -- which allows that work to exist in more than one library or museum so that many audiences can explore it.
Artists' books are works of art created using some of the materials, structures, and creative formats that are found in books: paper, words, illustrations, bindings to hold the work together, a narrative to explore. Some artists' books look like books, but others may look more like paper sculptures, games, or even pieces of mail. Some artists use already-existing books as raw material, creating a new unique work by altering and transforming an old text. Some artists' books are one-of-a-kind creations, while others are produced in multiple copies -- which allows that work to exist in more than one library or museum so that many audiences can explore it.
Art that invites you to play with it, move it, explore it
Art that invites you to play with it, move it, explore it
Artists' books are built to be touched, opened, and handled; they reveal their ideas as you participate in exploring them, just like conventional books. In this way they are quite different from other forms of art. You aren't generally invited to rearrange sculptures in a gallery, or to take a painting off a museum wall to look at its back, or to feel the texture of a woven tapestry.
Artists' books are built to be touched, opened, and handled; they reveal their ideas as you participate in exploring them, just like conventional books. In this way they are quite different from other forms of art. You aren't generally invited to rearrange sculptures in a gallery, or to take a painting off a museum wall to look at its back, or to feel the texture of a woven tapestry.
Art that engages up close with a broad range of ideas and themes
Art that engages up close with a broad range of ideas and themes
Artists' books provide intimate engagement with a work's material structure (as you turn pages, open and close it) as well as with the ideas expressed within (as you read, respond to, and interpret the words and images you find). The ideas artists engage with may be personal (friendship, childhood, love, disability) or may address issues of immense global concern (war, injustice, human rights, racism).
Artists' books provide intimate engagement with a work's material structure (as you turn pages, open and close it) as well as with the ideas expressed within (as you read, respond to, and interpret the words and images you find). The ideas artists engage with may be personal (friendship, childhood, love, disability) or may address issues of immense global concern (war, injustice, human rights, racism).
Artists' Books at UC Santa Cruz
Artists' Books at UC Santa Cruz
The artists' book collection at UCSC includes hundreds of works, from the 1960s to the present. The collection includes altered books, sculptural and painted works, and unique bookish objects that take the art form in new directions. The collection includes works created by local and California artists; works that engage contemporary American politics and social movements; works produced in Latin American countries or by Latina/o artists; and works covering a variety of subjects, including natural history, science and technology, art history, and fine printing. In each mini-video below I introduce a different artist's book from Special Collections & Archives.
The artists' book collection at UCSC includes hundreds of works, from the 1960s to the present. The collection includes altered books, sculptural and painted works, and unique bookish objects that take the art form in new directions. The collection includes works created by local and California artists; works that engage contemporary American politics and social movements; works produced in Latin American countries or by Latina/o artists; and works covering a variety of subjects, including natural history, science and technology, art history, and fine printing. In each mini-video below I introduce a different artist's book from Special Collections & Archives.
Please watch each of the following 12 videos linked below.
Please watch each of the following 12 videos linked below.
While viewing each video, consider the following question:
While viewing each video, consider the following question:
How does each book's structure or format relate to the ideas the artist is exploring?
How does each book's structure or format relate to the ideas the artist is exploring?
Unbound by Jessica Peterson and others.mp4Video 1.
Video 1.
Unbound by Jessica Peterson with contributions by Prince Edward County community members and Longwood University students and faculty, 2014
Unbound by Jessica Peterson with contributions by Prince Edward County community members and Longwood University students and faculty, 2014
4:54
Wrapped Words by Jody Alexander.mp4Video 2.
Video 2.
Wrapped Words by Jody Alexander, 2008
Wrapped Words by Jody Alexander, 2008
3:51
Reclaim by Yani Fauzi.mp4Video 3.
Video 3.
Reclaim by Yani Fauzi, 2016
Reclaim by Yani Fauzi, 2016
3:32
Asian American Project by Irene Chan.mp4Video 4.
Video 4.
Asian American ? Project by Irene Chan, 2007
Asian American ? Project by Irene Chan, 2007
4:35
Ursus by Anna Bunting.mp4Video 5.
Video 5.
Ursus by Anna Bunting, 2009
Ursus by Anna Bunting, 2009
3:38
Cowgirls and Cowboys by Felicia GilmanVideo 6.
Video 6.
Cowgirls and Cowboys by Felicia Gilman, 2002
Cowgirls and Cowboys by Felicia Gilman, 2002
3:44
Sojourn by Beth Thielen and others.mp4Video 7.
Video 7.
Sojourn by Ronnie Baer, Pauline Hale, Ana Hill, Helen Humphrey, Marge Tanner, Judi Templeton, Sandy Watson, Janice Yakaitis, Nick Capaci, Jonde Northcutt, and Beth Thielen, 1989
Sojourn by Ronnie Baer, Pauline Hale, Ana Hill, Helen Humphrey, Marge Tanner, Judi Templeton, Sandy Watson, Janice Yakaitis, Nick Capaci, Jonde Northcutt, and Beth Thielen, 1989
4:30
On the Other Side by Claire Patty Smith.mp4Video 8.
Video 8.
On the Other Side by Claire Fouquet and Patty Smith, 2016
On the Other Side by Claire Fouquet and Patty Smith, 2016
4:10
Cheerily Redesigning Outdated by Ardent Eliot Reinhard.mp4Video 9.
Video 9.
Cheerily Redesigned Outdated by Ardent Eliot Reinhard, 2018
Cheerily Redesigned Outdated by Ardent Eliot Reinhard, 2018
2:39
eXelento by Ellen Gallagher.mp4Video 10.
Video 10.
eXelento by Ellen Gallagher, 2004
eXelento by Ellen Gallagher, 2004
5:17
Collective Unconcious by Bennett Hopkins.mp4Video 11.
Video 11.
The Collective Unconscious by Bennett Hopkins, 2016
The Collective Unconscious by Bennett Hopkins, 2016
3:00
Animal Helpers of the Southwest by Art Hazelwood.mp4Video 12.
Video 12.
Animal Helpers of the Southwest by Art Hazelwood, 2015
Animal Helpers of the Southwest by Art Hazelwood, 2015
2:53
Thanks for reading and viewing. See you in class!
Thanks for reading and viewing. See you in class!
a view of the forest from the Special Collections & Archives Reading Room
And remember, you are always welcome to visit the Special Collections & Archives Reading Room in McHenry Library to explore our artists' book collection up close, the way that artists intended. Reach out to me with questions anytime.
And remember, you are always welcome to visit the Special Collections & Archives Reading Room in McHenry Library to explore our artists' book collection up close, the way that artists intended. Reach out to me with questions anytime.
Jessica
Jessica
jpigza@ucsc.edu
jpigza@ucsc.edu