Workshop reflections
Some network participants were asked to reflect on the workshops and to write about a particular issue that had caught their attention. These texts reflect the perspectives of the individuals concerned but together they identify key questions that might inform future research.
What Do You Want to Make Today?
Artists have always had a fluid relationship with books and evolving technology. For Sarah Bodman the future is full of possibility for the artist book, but questions remain about how the physical and the digital might co-exist.
The Digital Transformation of the Artist Book
Digitising artist books could potentially open up their contents to audiences around the world. Reflecting on workshops held in 2012, Richard Clay and Eugene Ch’ng ask if they can ever be a substitute for the physical object.
What’s Lost? What’s Gained?
Often produced as limited editions, artist books generally cannot reach a wide audience. Digitisation, however, can help overcome this obstacle. Paul Coldwell reflects on a series of workshops held in 2012, considering the potential benefits of digitisation but also the potential losses.
Future Visions and Versions of the Codex
A book may seem unchanging but it also captures a particular moment in a production cycle. Johanna Drucker reflects on the increasingly flexible digital landscape and how this could affect the reception and production of artist books in future.
Artist Books Beyond the Library Catalogue: Transforming Discovery
Digital information about artist books has been available for decades in the form of electronic library catalogues. Elizabeth James considers what the latest technological developments offer those searching for artist books, in particular those who are interested in their visual qualities.
A Bookmare
From the artist book to books as artworks, Susan Johanknecht looks back at an exhibition of works that challenged viewers' assumptions about the book.
Is the Term ‘Digital Artist Books’ a Misnomer?
The term ‘artist book’ is grounded in a history of artistic production, emanating from the conceptual art of the 1960s and 1970s. Reflecting on a series of workshops held in 2012, Jo Melvin discusses the problems in applying this term in the digital age.
Backwards and Forwards with Artist Books
What does transforming artist books mean? What did it mean fifty years ago? Clive Phillpot reflects on a series of workshops held in 2012, which considered the past as well as the future of the artist book.
Suspending Disbelief: The Dubious Role of Skeuomorphism in Software Design
The use of metaphor in digital design – making digital versions of real-life objects from bookshelves to car dashboards – has a strangely enduring appeal. Michael Stocking reviews the impact of this skeuomorphism on the future of the artist book.
Artists, Writers and the Future of the Book
The future of the artist book is a subject involving many different producers, including artists and writers. Steve Woodall discusses the desired outcomes of a project in the United States which is seeking to create a sustainable publishing platform for the artist book.
