|
Covered
Beauty and Art in Contemporary Bookbinding
15
May
- 24
May
2007
From a book of dreams to a book
with a herd of Friesian cows grazing on its covers,
Covered shows the range of techniques, styles and
materials in contemporary bookbinding. With over one
hundred works by forty binders the exhibition
showcases the very best work from bookbinders across
the UK. The work in the exhibition has been selected
by Designer Bookbinders, a society devoted to the
design and craft of hand bookbinding, and includes
the work of both established and up and coming
binders.
A craft that dates back thousands
of years, bookbinders create beautiful, one-off
bindings that respond directly to the text,
illustration, print and paper of a book. Bookbinders
work in close harmony with the text creating a book
structure that both complements and extends the
meaning or feel of a book. Each binder will have his
or her own style and each text will evoke different
responses from detailed painted images to abstract
forms and patterns.
From a book on Renaissance
weddings embellished with gold and silver to books
bound with delicate paintings under vellum, the
range of styles is as diverse as the individuals who
create them. Often working with small private
presses the binding can respond not only to the
ideas within the text but also to the quality of the
paper, the printing and illustrations. Materials and
techniques range from traditional leathers and
vellums with gold tooling and inlays to more
contemporary work incorporating Perspex and metal,
airbrushed images and photographic transfer.
Prices range from £50 - £3500 but
commissioning a binder to work on a particular text
is also increasingly popular. Commissions can come
from many sources - individuals wanting a bespoke
binding of a particular text for a special gift, or
public institutions, libraries and museums building
up their own contemporary collections. Every year
Designer Bookbinders are commissioned by Man Booker
to produce bindings for the short-listed books on
the Booker prize. These ingenious interpretations of
the texts are then presented to the authors on the
night of the awards ceremony.
Advice about commissioning,
conservation and restoration is available from
Designer Bookbinders
www.designerbookbinders.org.uk
|
|
|
|
Angela James |
James Brockman |
 |
 |
| Paul Delrue |
Philip Smith |
 |
 |
|
Stuart Brockman |
Kate Holland |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
Christopher Shaw |
Jeanette Koch |
|
|
 |
|
Sue Doggett
|
Mark Cockram |
|
|
 |
|
Jenni Grey
|
Lester Capon |
|
