book collection

Recent Work - Wrongful Termination /  by Alisa Banks

Wrongful Termination addresses race-based discriminatory practices. Starting in the 1980’s, multiple suits have been filed against employers, schools, and other agencies by people of color (primarily women) who were fired, passed over for promotion or hiring, or sent home for wearing their natural hair. Wrongful is a unique altered book featuring two original poems and texts from newspaper editorials.

In 2019, California and New York became the first and second states respectively, to pass the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair or CROWN Act, to end race-based hair discrimination. According to a study sponsored by Dove:

  • A Black woman is 80% more likely to change her natural hair to meet social norms or expectations at work.

  • Black women are 50% more likely to be sent home or know of a black woman sent home from the workplace because of her hair.

More information about the CROWN Act can be found here. The CROWN Act is not about feeling good about oneself or one’s body, but about fighting discriminatory practices based on race.

A special thanks to Annie Howe, for the warm welcome she extended to her Baltimore studio earlier this year. Annie introduced me to a new knife and insisted that I bring home the samples that were used to carve out the book. I had so much fun at our visit that I didn’t think to take photos!

Reed College - Portland, OR /  by Alisa Banks

Planted is housed in the Special Collections and Archives Library at Reed College, located in Portland, OR.

The library holdings include rare books, manuscripts, calligraphy and letter forms, and an artist book collection as well as others. More information is located on the Special Collections page where one can learn more about the origin and focus of the various collections. The Artist Book Collection has a searchable database. It appears that all works are not accessible via the digital library, but one is able to access holdings using the main search function. The collections are open to the public. The Visit Us page outlines instructions for visitors wishing to access work.

Planted consists of one deluxe and a standard edition of four. The edition featured above, which is in the Reed collection is a standard edition. It features an essay on gardening and how gardens have the potential to connect to ancestors.

Schomburg Center, New York Public Library /  by Alisa Banks

Bone Straight, Afro Centric, and Bad Hair are three books housed in the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture of the New York Public Library. The Center is located in Manhattan and “is generally recognized as the world’s leading research library devoted exclusively to documenting the history and cultural development of peoples of African descent worldwide.” The Center was founded during the Harlem Renaissance, and since that time, the collection has grown to over 10 million items.

The Center offers diverse programming, including lectures, exhibitions, classes, and workshops in addition to supporting research. Many of the collections are available digitally. Access to the Center is free, but a library pass is required for entry. Visitors who do not reside in NYC are invited to apply for a free library card on-line, which is valid for three months.

The Center has an extensive website that also includes helpful tips. In addition to obtaining a library card, visitors are encouraged to reach out to the staff to reserve materials in advance. Researchers can search the collections on-line prior to visiting and tours are also available and can be arranged in advance. Personal items must be checked in before entering the research areas and check in service is free.

Hair fiber is feature in several of my works, including the three that are in the Shomburg collection. Sometimes, the subject of the works are hair culture and sometimes not, but these three in particular are. Afro Centric is celebratory, while Bone Straight is a witnessing. Bad Hair is about discriminatory employment practices.

bookish terms /  by Alisa Banks

Here is a brief rundown two common terms used in book arts:

Edition

This term is often seen in book descriptions. A book will either be part of an edition or a unique offering.

  • An artist can determine how many of a book to make. An edition can be as few as two or it can be hundreds. An open edition means that more of the book can be made in the future. Other editions are finite - the artist determines how many to make, usually before production.

  • Each individual work in an edition may be exactly the same, or may differ somewhat. For example, in my Edges series, which is made from books that were altered by cutting and adding needlework, I created four for the edition. Each of the four original books are from same literature series and the subject of the finished pieces are the same, but each individual book features a different “hair style.”

  • Sometimes an artist will decide to create a deluxe and standard edition. Deluxe editions usually have something special that the standard edition does not. The special item may be how the book is printed (more on that later), a custom box made to house the work, inclusion of a sculptural component, or the addition of a precious metal. Deluxe editions are usually costlier than standard editions.

  • In order to identify individual books in an edition, the artist will assign it a number. For example, the third book of an edition of 10 will be notated as: Edition 3 of 10 or 3/10. This numbering system is also used in printmaking. Some may feel that the number in the edition denotes quality, but this is usually not the case.

  • A unique book means that it is the only one. No other copies were made.

  • An Artist Proof (A/P) means that there is something a little different in this book. Even the most streamlined book requires test runs. An artist proof is often a run that is acceptable, but maybe a feature, such as a type of paper, color of ink, image, etc. was changed before the edition was produced.

Press Name

Some books will feature a small logo or text denoting the press name. Consider a book obtained from a mainstream bookseller. The publisher’s imprint (name) is listed - usually on the spine, and the front or back covers. In basic terms, a publisher charges to print and sell books. Publishers offer other services too, such as editing and designing. Most makers of artist books are self publishers - they make the decisions for their work and often fabricate the work themselves. Many artists use a press name even if they create books without text. Others do not. Having or not having a press name in an of itself does not determine the value of an artist book.

In the next Bookish post, we’ll discuss printing terms.

hill memorial library at LSU /  by Alisa Banks

The Special Collections libraries at Louisiana State University houses over 120,000 books covering a range of topics outlined on their website including (but not limited to) books related to: chess, crayfish taxonomy and culture, oral history, comic books, and natural history. The library also has collections on the topic of free people of color and if you are a public radio listener from a while back, the Andrei Codrescu and Outsider Literature collection, which includes his personal papers.

The collections are free and open to the public. There is a very thorough posting of what to expect during your visit to Hill and a helpful FAQ section on the site. Drop-in’s are welcome, but visitors are advised to make an appointment if there’s a chance that specific items are stored off-site. Advance notice is important to allow sufficient time for retrieval.

I entered “artist book” into the search feature and it pulled up 681 offerings. My search was general and some of the citations listed were books about artist books, so this number does not reflect their entire collection. I entered my name and pulled up the three books that are in their collection: Island Girl, Poule Aye, and Storm Sequence. (yay!) Very good descriptions are provided, but no images were available.

Naturally, I am excited to have work in the Special Collections at Hill Memorial Library as much of my work addresses southern Louisiana culture and LSU is smack in the middle of southern Louisiana. If you find yourself in Baton Rouge, consider visiting the Hill library at LSU. Be sure to block out a bit of time for your visit.

What the heck is an artist book anyway? /  by Alisa Banks

I’ve been making artist books for years and know of many others who make them. However, our community compared to that of say, writers, sculptors, and painters in the general population is quite small.

Often, I am asked to define what an artist book is. Most know what a painting is, what a sculpture is, what a novel is…at least in general terms. An artist book can be all of those things and more! In many cases, one can touch an artist book even if it’s with gloves. This is very different from experiencing other types of art and the artist can manipulate these qualities to enhance the viewer’s experience.

Many have attempted to distill the definition of an artist book. Suffice it to say an artist book can consist of any of the following:

  • A writing encased in a fine binding

  • A bound collection of images or writing

  • A sculpture made from a book or books

  • An old book that has been altered - ex. painted, folded, cut - to enhance the original meaning

  • A box with papers featuring unique writing.

  • A book form constructed with unconventional materials such as plastic, plants, soil etc.

This is certainly not an all-inclusive list. Most artist books have a sculptural component and text, but not all. Most are portable and meant to be touched, but not all. The image above is of Continuum, which I also consider an artist book that is in the form of a quilt. The lines between the book and other forms of art are indeed blurred. Books can be made of textiles, tiles, or plants. There are even edible books!


Exploding the Codex /  by Alisa Banks

Book art exhibition and lecture at LSU this fall.

Book art exhibition and lecture at LSU this fall.

Poule Aye will be featured in Exploding the Codex at LSU Libraries Special Collections in Baton Rouge August 19 – December 13, 2019 at Hill Memorial Library. Celebrated artist Julie Chen of Flying Fish Press will present a talk at 5pm, Thursday, October 24 at the LSU School of the Arts. The exhibition and lecture are free and open to the public.

Poule Aye consists of one page, part of which is folded to form a “shotgun” style sharecropper’s home and part of which contains a “field” of text. A backyard chicken coop and be viewed through the front door when the book is open. The façade is an image of one of the homes that my dad lived in as a boy. Poule Aye examines ones relationship with place and identity. I am happy that this edition of Poule Aye is so near Ventress, LA, the place that inspired the story.

Where and How to View Artist Books /  by Alisa Banks

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Artist Books

Where to view them

Welcome to my blog! This post discusses artist book collections, including how to visit a collection and what to expect. In the next few posts, I’ll introduce collections that house my work along with other '“bookish” topics.

There are many avenues to viewing artist books including exhibits and private and public collections. Many rare book collections include artist books and some libraries have have digitized their collections for on-line viewing. On-line viewing is very helpful as a supplement, but to get a real feel for the work, one should consider visiting a collection in person. Visiting an artist book collection may be one of the few times one is able to touch the art! Most collections are accessible to the general public for free. Always contact the library in advance for an appointment, though.

Artist book collections vary in size and scope. Some libraries house multiple collections, each with a specific focus. Other collections are more diverse. More information about a library’s collection is usually available on-line.

Because they house rare and often expensive work, there are a few basic ground rules when visiting a rare book room, though these can vary with each facility. One can expect to part with personal belongings such as handbags, backpacks, and umbrellas before entering the viewing area. Usually, a locker of some sort is provided. If you’d like to take notes, you may be provided with a pencil or you may bring your own, but ink pens are generally forbidden as ink marks can cause permanent damage. Many libraries will provide disposable cotton gloves for handling the work.

If you are considering starting a collection of your own, visiting a rare book room can be a good introduction to a variety of types of artist books. Or, perhaps your collection starts with a book you “can’t live without!”