Book Art


Book Art is the field of art that involves the creation of works that use or refer to structural and conceptual properties of books. The term also is used to describe works Book Art Association was founded in 2008. CBAA organizes annual conferences, publishes an open access journal titled Openings: Studies in Book Art, and maintains a blog on Book Art Theory.
There are several sub-fields within Book Art, including fine press books, sculptural bookworks, artist books, altered books, designer bookbindings, installations and performances. As this entry evolves examples of works in the subfields will be added, as well as a history of book art, and organizations that exhibit, teach and promote book art, such as the Center for Book Arts, located in New York City, the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis and the San Francisco Center for the Book. In fact, Katherine M. Ruffin's 2017 essay "A Typology for the Structures of Book Arts Programs" describes five different types of organizations that now offer programs in Book Art as Book Arts Programs in Liberal Arts Colleges, Book Arts Programs at Universities, Book Arts Programs at Art Colleges and Universities, Book Arts Programs at Craft Schools, and Book Arts Programs as Independent Not-for-Profits.
Fine press Book Art follows in the tradition of the book as precious object. Publishers like Kelmscott Press from the British was an important precursor to fine press Book Art. Examples of 20th century fine press Book Art include works published by Arron Press and The Gahenna Press.