What Are They?
Artists' Books are books that are created by artists. Instead of reproducing an artist's work, an Artist's Book is meant to be a work of art in and of itself. They can resemble books in form and purpose, but often artists choose to play with the book as an artistic medium, stretching the audience's perception of what a book is. Artists' Books are frequently published in small editions, though they are also created as unique individual objects.
Why Are They Important?
Artists' Books use the form of a book as an artistic medium like watercolors or clay, and should be regarded as works of art in their own right. Museums may choose to collect them as part of an artist's oeuvre, or as part of a collection with a greater theme.
Potential Issues
Though Artists' Books are certainly works of art, classification, cataloging, storage, and preservation may prove to be difficult. Does an Artist's Book belong in the museum's library, or with other collected art? Furthermore, an Artist's Book may defy conventional book size and shape, creating storage difficulties wherever they might be placed.
Further Reading and Example Collections
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