#Paul D Fleck Library and Archives

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Understanding Artists' Books

The Paul D. Fleck Library & Archives holds over 5,000 artists' books - and the collection continues to grow through a combination of donations and purchases every year.

But what is an artists' book?

Well, part of the (usually exciting) challenge of artists' books is that they're difficult to define. For the Emily Carr University Art and Design library, the artists' book collection "encompasses books conceived, crafted, published, produced or altered by an artist, designer or collective with the intention of creating an independent art work ." But for the Smithsonian Library, "[a]n artist’s book is a medium of artistic expression that uses the structure or function of 'book' as inspiration—a work of art in book form." Our collection sits somewhere in between, encapsulating works in both of these definitions - and some works that are beyond either. In our library, you'll find do-it-yourself zines and handmade chapbooks from small presses, sculptural pieces, weavings, objects, comic art, flipbooks, and dozens of other specific forms.

Our collection began in 1985, when the director of the Walter Phillips Gallery, Lorne Falk, handed Bob Foley (Banff Centre's first full-time librarian) a suitcase's worth of artists' books and said, "These are yours, you should do something with them." Through a meeting with AA Bronson, an artist who founded Art Metropole and the New York Art Book Fair, Foley expanded the collection by developing relationships with publishers and distributors. Since then, the collection came to include artists such as Dieter Roth, Ed Ruscha (whose artists' book Every Building on the Sunset Strip inspired the creation of this tumblr page!), Barbara Kruger, Joseph Beuys, Mieko Shiomi, Yoko Ono, Gertrude Stein, and John Cage.

Please take your time to explore our tumblr and our library catalogue - and if you ever get the chance, please come and explore our artists' books in person. The library staff are always excited to answer questions or help you find what you're looking for.

If you'd like to read more about artists' books, consider these books:

Aarons, Philip E. and Andrew Roth, editors. In Numbers: Serial Publications by Artists Since 1055. Zurich: PPP Editions, 2009.

Arnar, Anna Sigrídur. The Book as Instrument: Stéphane Mallarmé, the Artist's Book, and the Transformation of Print Culture. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011.

Castleman, Riva. A Century of Artists Books. New York: Museum of Modern Art; distributed by Henry N. Abrams, 1994.

Drucker, Johanna. A Century of Artists' Books. New York: Granary Books, 1995.

Phillpot, Clive. Booktrek: Selected Essays on Artists' Books since 1972. Zurich: JRP Ringier, 2013.

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The Paul D. Fleck Library & Archives at The Banff Centre https://ift.tt/2T1LEi0

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of February 10th, 2020

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Artists’ Book display for the week of January 27th, 2020.

A book by Anselm Kiefer by Anselm Kiefer, Theodore E. Stebbins, Susan Ricci Stebbins , Jurgen Harten ; Museum of fine arts, Boston, 1988.

Dominion by Andrew Forster- Atlanta, Ga : Nexus Press, 1989

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of March 16th, 2020

Some recent snowflakes (and other things) by Dick Higgins Print book, English Publisher: New York : Printed Editions, 1979.

Bread and water : stories by Eileen Myles Print book, English Publisher: Madras [India] ; New York : Hanuman Books, 1987.

Fantastic architecture by Wolf Vostell; Dick Higgins Print book, English Publisher: [New York, New York] : Something Else Press, [1971]

Awake in the red desert! [a recorded book. by Bill Bissett Print book, English Publisher: Vancouver, Talon Books, ©1968]

Interieur : Landschaft. by Olaf Nicolai Print book, German Publisher:, [19]96.

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of February 10th, 2020

The Book arts directory by Inc. Page Two- Portland, 1993.

Simwar by Brad Freeman, 1991.

Rise and fall of the peanut party : Journal; twenty days in November by Vincent Trasov and John Mitchell- Vancouver, BC : Air, 1976.

Heroic emblems by Ian Hamilton Finlay; Ron Costley ; Stephen Bann- Z Press, 1977.

Ceremony of things by Enzo Cucchi- New York : Peter Blum Edition, 1985.

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of March 16th, 2020

Mona Lisa and other mail art projects by Edwin Varney; Ann Rosenberg; Surrey Art Gallery (B.C.); Museo Internationale de Neu Art- Surrey, B.C. : Surrey Art Gallery, 1988

Copier Books By Minnesota Center for Book Arts-1990

Output Herron School of Art, Indianapolis

The Scream by  Melanie Holzman, 1993.

Spaces by Telfer Stokes; Weproductions Print book: London : Weproductions, 1974

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of March 9th, 2020

Cock fight dance by Sol LeWitt; Rizzoli International Publications; Multiples (Firm)- New York: Rizzoli: Multiple, 1980

Who knows : poems and aphorism by Francis Picabia; Remy Hall- Madras[India] ; New York : Hanuman Books, 1986.

Elvis by Russel Johnson- 1987

(SIC.) A 1W1 Publication ,1980

Need me like I need you by Ron Huebner; Andrew Forster; Galerie Burning editions, 1993

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of January 27th, 2020

A la fin trouver le mot du commencement Editions 1966/1994 by Maurizio Nannucci- Paris,FR : Bibliotheque Nationale de France, 1994

Town and Country by Dale Wittig - Plebian Press, 1995

Looking the other way by Karen Savage- Sally Alatalo, SAIC, 1994

Who Owned the Last Norfolk Wherry? by Ian Hamilton Finlay, Harvey Michael- Wild Hawthorn Press, 1974

Moravanski golemovia = The Golems of Moravanay by Diane Samuels - Dial Publishing, 1993

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of February 18th, 2020

Flood : a novel in pictures by Eric Drooker- New York : four walls Eight Windows, 1992.

Art strike of schools without schools by Miriam Sharon- New York : M. Sharon, 1993

hidden children by Shari Caroline Diamond and Hana Iverson, 1992.

Tropos by Ann Hamilton  Print book, Undetermined Publisher: New York, NY : Dia Center for the Arts, 1995.

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Artists’ Book Display or the week of February 18th, 2020

Hook by Davi Det Hompson; Tom Ockerse Editions, 1977.

Breast Wishes by Shari Hart, 1998.

W.I. Lenin vom Aufstieg auf die hohen Berge . . . by Jan Voss, Berlin : Rainer Verlag, 1975.

John and other storys by Graham Harwood; Working Press, 1987.

Tempestuous romance by Sally Alatalo, 1985.

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of March 16th, 2020

Sustained/bevarad by Peter Hagdahl Print book, Undetermined Publisher: Stockholm : Galleri Ahndrehn-Schiptjenko, 1993.

Sight works. - Vol. 1- by Marysia Lewandowska Print book, Undetermined Publisher: London ; Chance Books, 1988.

Rubber by R. E. Buff Print book, Undetermined Publisher: Halifax, NS : Eye Level Gallery, 1979.

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of October 21st, 2019

(sic). - 2- Published by Pushpress- Toronto Ontario, 1981

File. by General Idea- Toronto: Art Official, 1972- 1989

How to make a pearl by Yuki Onodera- Tucson, Ariz: Nazraeli Press, 2002

Keep my secrets  by Marcella Stasa- Boulder City: 1994

Blind trust : guides for the uninfected  by Robert Flynt- 1994

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of December 16th, 2019

Andy Warhol and His Friends : publications and projects from the mid-sixties to the mid-seventies by Andy Warhol-New York, NY: Printed Matter Bookstore, 1991

Cammino dentro un corpo solo by Massimo Antonaci- Milano

Back to back by Telfer Stokes- Yarrow ScotlandL Weproductions, 1980

1 Walked out of 2 and forgot it by Toby MacLennan- Barton : Something Else Press, 1972

Time is now by Melody Summer- Oakland : Burning Books, 1985

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of February 25th, 2020

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Artists’ Book Display for the week of February 25th, 2020

Difficulty swallowing by Mathew Geller - New York : Works Press, 1981

No names no pictures by Sharon Gilbert- Self-published, 1980.

Jewish metaphysics as generative principle in American art by Daniel Rothbart- Napoli : Ulisse & Calipso, 1994.