Pages
at an Exhibition: Books as Art
by Kari Wethington
Fisher
Halls latest, Reimagining the Book: An Exhibition of Artists
Books, is a stunning collection of 23 student pieces, each an interpretation
of what a book is and does. Created throughout the semester in associate
professor of studio art Nanette Yannuzzi-Maciass class, Reimagining
the Book, the pieces range from childrens colorful fairytales
and intricate paper-sculptures to large-scale interactive board
games.
The exhibit caters to the idea of reading as a personal, private
experience and offers a cozy atmosphere with big armchairs and pillowed
areas for sitting and browsing through the books. I think
everything [in the show] is open to interpretation, and I think
it is really important that people access as much about these books
as possible, senior art history major Lisa Katona said. Katona,
along with fellow senior art history major Alexa Dunnington, organized
the class exhibit.
Audience interaction is key to this show; many pieces specifically
elicit viewers to thumb through pages, play games or to inspect
the project more closely. Senior Sarah LePages The Study
of Craft is one such piece that seems to serve as an ode to
the artists mother and grandmother, who passed on the skills
of sewing and needlepoint. A wooden base with translucent plastic
covering is lit from within, highlighting the type print on top.
The words recall the past; the poem Stretched Canvas
is an anecdote of a childhood spent sewing. Coming out of the wooden
base is a small metal pole to which are attached four or five small
petri dishes of sorts, containing miscellaneous sewing
artifacts spools of thread, needles and buttons. The piece
is striking in its design and very personal in its execution.
There could be confusion about how a piece such as LePages
fits into general notions of a book a definition
the class worked with throughout the semester. From the very
beginning of the semester, Nanette encouraged us to go beyond the
traditional concept of the book, Dunnington said. We
used found books, learned printing techniques, experimented with
materials and even made pop-up books
Books can be bound or
unbound, old books themselves can be used to make a new book,
or you can take the idea of moving through the book and transfer
that to moving through an installation.
Instead of feeling limited by one medium, the class explored many
avenues of personal expression, which lends the Fisher exhibit a
wonderful diversity. We have been trying to explore different
interpretations because a book is not necessarily limited to pages
with text which are all bound together, Katona said. That
is just one kind of book. Being able to explore other options and
creating other ideas around the concept of a page and
trying to experiment with different bindings are all
just about finding a different way to express an idea.
Junior Mary Cat Boyetts Cards present the viewer
with a set of intricately detailed, animal-themed playing cards;
theres even chairs and mixed nuts to get the party started.
An even more provocative interpretation of what a book can be is
Dunningtons Myth & Identity a sculpture
made of old government documents banded together in the shape of
a Greek column, with a stack of books on top; one book remains open
and text is underlined and noted. It is an innovative design; Greek
columns arent anything new, but Greek columns made out of
old documents definitely are. Junior Julia Hamiltons flowers
made from text (Untitled) and junior Chana Joffe-Walts
larger-than-life boardgame, Who Wants to Be an American
both serve as fresh interpretations of how media influences the
most fundamental parts of our lives.
Some
of the more traditional books are really not traditional
at all, instead opting for more eccentric images and stories. Senior
Abigail Chapins Art in Clothing Selection takes
a raggedy old book of the same title and turns it into what looks
like a dolls closet. The yellowed pages have been hollowed
out to make a miniature closet where various dainty fashions hang
from tiny hangers; the clothing is made from pages of an old book,
and shoes even collect dust at the bottom. Its a charming
exposé on fashion and our societal obsession with it.
Katonas pop-up book, Untitled, combines black-and-white
photographs, cut-out/pop-up shapes and interspersed text that provides
a social reflection on the often grievous process of growing up
in a world where the female body is an object of constant evaluation
from society. The cover flaunts a womans black bra, which
seems almost humorous at first, but later becomes part of the books
theme of the struggle for self-acceptance.
Reimagining the Book will be on display in Fisher Hall through next
week. All are invited to attend the exhibits opening reception
on Friday at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served.
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