Artist Books/Visual Books Definition and Examples.

Artist Books/Visual Books

Definition and Examples

Definition of Artist Book Book composed by an artist(s). Who is an artist?

Visual artist Writer Poet Performer Composer

Content of artist book Images Words or word-like appearance (e.g., hieroglyphics,

ideograms) Diagrams Musical notations

Extended Definition of Artist Book

Artist book has a visually appealing presentation as a result of hands-on involvement by a visual artist, writer, poet, performer, or composer.

Artist book is not a book in which fine typography is utilized for conventional fiction, non-fiction and poetry nor is it a book in which images and text or poems exist side by side throughout the book (Livre d’Artiste).

What is an artists’ book? An artist’s book is an artwork in a book

format, or an artwork which has its origin in the form or concept of the book. The term was originally coined to describe books which had their origin in the conceptual art movement of the 1970s. The typical artist’s book today is a limited edition handmade book. The material ranges from lyrical and poetical works, books that take on a sculptural aspect to beautiful examples which blend the creativity of the artist with the technology of today’s computer age. Artists books come in all forms, shapes and sizes, and are made out of a variety of materials including wood, handmade paper and stone

Examples of Mass Produced Artist Books

Verbal/Visual Concrete poetry, visual poetry, sound poetry,

performance art/poetry, shaped poetry, rebus, conceptual art, pictograph books.

Unusual shaped books or bindings Diarist Experimental calligraphy Experimental fiction Flip pages and pop-up books

Plastic Surgery

Skin Deep

“Hawkins Hill”

“Thursday Morning”

“Corral”

“Intimate Landscape”

“Bushfire”

“On the Island”

“Boris”

“Pyromaniac”

“Black Box”

“Skin Deep”

“Rock and Roll”

“Hillend”

“Patterns”

Two birds, the dearest of friends, live in the same tree.One eats the sweet fruit.

The other, without eating, watches.

“Spirit Vessel”

“Fern Book”

“Time Machine”

“Altered Text”

“Log Book”

“Four Seasons”

Visual Poetry

Visual Poetry

Visual Poetry

Visual Poetry

Concrete Poetry

Cancelled Text

Sound Poetry

Sound Poetry

Performance Poetry

Shaped Poetry

Shaped Poetry

Shaped Poetry

Shaped Poetry

Shaped Poetry

Letter Picture

Book Object

Book Object – Children’s Book

Unusual Binding

Tunnel Book

Diarist

Diarist

Diarist

Diarist

Autograph Book: Visual Poetry

Autograph Book: Visual Poetry