"Built Books: Sculptural Objects"
2005-06-25 until 2005-10-10
Fuller Museum of Craft
Brockton, MA, USA United States of America

You might have a hard time reading the books in the Fuller Craft Museum exhibition Built Books, but that won’t leave you any less knowledgeable. The artists in Built Books use every trick in the book to hand craft sculptural objects that you won't find at your local library. On exhibit June 25 through October 10, 2005, Built Books features works by artists who push the limits of the notion of the traditionally bound book with structural books in metal, clay, wood and fiber.

Curated by Boston artist Laura Davidson, Built Books features books by Davidson, Daniel Essig, Peter Madden, Nancy Selvin and Molly Van Nice. Books made of nails, clay, mahogany, brass and copper are featured alongside fiber scrolls, books bound in ancient techniques and specimen boxes with pages of collected fossils, rocks and coins.

Acccording to curator Laura Davidson, “In my own work I often look for ways to make book objects that push the idea of a traditionally bound book. When looking at other artist’s work, I am drawn to those who use the book sculpturally, or who use unusual materials. Each of the artists in this show makes work that is, in some way, about the book as a built object. Some of these books are traditionally bound and some are not. Some of the books cannot be opened; some are boxes that open with text inside. But each of the objects began with the idea of a book.”

All of the artists in Built Books use unusual materials to create objects that reference books. Laura Davidson’s books use art history, maps and nature to reflect on the passage of time. Daniel Essig’s sculptural books serve as decorative chambers for small scale found objects. Peter Madden creates scrolls with large old wooden spools to wind the sewn fabric of the scroll. He also has traditionally bound books with heavy wooden covers, some adorned with metal, often filled with found objects. Artist Nancy Selvin builds ceramic books with sketches of clay vessels and recipes for glazes drawn on the open “pages.” Molly Van Nice’s books are invented specimen boxes containing flora, fauna, relics and other objects found on mythical archaeological journeys.

IMAGE
Nancy Selvin
Abstract/Abstraction
ceramic

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for the State of Massachusetts

Other Important Exhibitions in United States