How has the actual
physical construction of a book influenced your understanding of materiality
and the written word?
By Alexandria Clyburn
The process of constructing a book has been an eye opening one
for sure. As an avid reader I have spent long hours with books of many different
kinds. I have dropped a paperback book
in a bathtub (I know, shameful!!) I have read hardcover books so frequently the
glued binding loosens and the last few pages fall out. My headboard at home
consists of nothing but a bookshelf, and while on vacation I make an effort to
visit libraries.
Two of these visits occurred when I was in Ireland. My friend and I went to Chester Beatty
Library. This library is one man’s
private collection of work from all over the world. This is where I first came in contact with
accordion books. Working in Professors Hasseler’s class we are constructing our
own accordion books. With these books we are using small book boards and
covering them with paper. This paper is
handmade paper that we use to transform the books into beautiful works of
art.
Watching this transformation occur helps to increase the overall
appreciation that all book covers go through in the process. One really begins to notice the details that
always existed but that might have gone unnoticed. Details such as the inside pages of the front
and back cover, “endpages” are generally decorative pieces that cover the
sealed edges of the paper. The amount of care and time that goes into creating
a front and back cover is meticulous. The edges must be cut precisely and glued
with care. The endpages are used to decorate the inside of these pieces. We have created our own endpages, covers and
soon will be combining it all.
We are also creating collage covers from recycled material. This recycled material is used to speak about
sustainability and art. Each of our book covers was made from our own trash, is
a commentary on how we can use our own consumption to fuel the art world. We are making our book covers and Professor
is binding them to our book blocks. This
really helps to increase our awareness of the time and energy behind each book
that we buy.
This entire experience has opened all of our eyes to the
challenges and rewards of creating our own books. I have really enjoyed the
opportunity to grow closer with my classmates during this process.
Alexandria, I think this is a really great post! I love how you make a point to travel to all different sorts of Libraries - they really are such wonderful places to be!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I agree that our many encounters with book construction (or destruction, I should say!), this semester, has made me appreciate the joy of books on a whole new level. While at first, I was skeptical when we destroyed or "altered" our first books, this time around, for our final projects, I'm finding that I enjoy the process. I enjoy having a discussion with a book and being able to create a personal relationship with a book. I have learned that books are extremely durable - not something you would expect of a collection of paper which seems so thin - and that there are so many additional ways you can interact with a book aside from just reading it.
The project of creating a book cover from recycled materials, also has created an interesting interaction with book materials, and the many ways things can be done.
Personally, this class has greatly altered my perspective on the importance of books and how incredible they are. Thus, reaffirming my strong belief that I will never give in and buy a kindle -- Books are too important not only to me personally, but to society as a whole. I wish that we could bring this class to a larger scale and remind people how incredible books are on so many levels: visually, mentally, personally etc.
I really like Alexandria's lines "Watching this transformation occur helps to increase the overall appreciation that all book covers go through in the process. One really begins to notice the details that always existed but that might have gone unnoticed." - I think Alexandria really hit the nail on the head with this statement, and I completely agree that through this process "one really begins to notice the details that always existed but that might have gone unnoticed."
Overall, I really have enjoyed developing and exploring books!
I definitely agree with Alexandria that working so much on these covers and books gives us an appreciation for what goes into a book. Particularly, constructing our own book shows us just how precise this process really is. The careful folding of the edges, the hard thought into the material we collect and use, and the differing cares and concerns we had while working on our pieces all tell us how much effort this kind of experience requires. Still I think back to why we are creating all of this and I realize that all this effort is being put into creating an object that simply houses words, pictures, and information. So while the design of the book is a creative process, actually enacting this design is a whole different story.
ReplyDeleteMy point is that I usually think of the written word as a separate process from the book itself. The book is a “thing” used to hold the story but is relatively unimportant. But now seeing how much care has to go into a hard cover to make it work, I better understand just why covers and the materials that goes into making the book matter. The written word is actually a physical/material thing helped made real by the mind.
Moreover, as much as we try to shy away from this as a culture, we really do connect the cover, the size, the font, etc. of a book and its writing to its quality. But making these covers and working with other people or talking with others about creating a book has me realize why we do it. We do it because we understand that the feeling of the book is important. The book’s smell, the material composition, the age, the quality, all apply to our reading experience. In fact, as Alexandria points out, even where we are while we experience that book matters as a book in a museum feels completely different from one in the library.
So in summary, I would say that this experience helps me personally understand just how closely connected the written word and materiality truly is.
Alexandria, I can really understand and appreciate your love for books. For me, I find it really interesting to look at altering books the way we have in class. Rather than simply looking at them as objects to read, they become pieces of creativity and I have found it interesting to construct them into something that they aren't necessarily intended to become. It really allows you to get a deep understanding of the book and apply creativity based on your own personal interpretation. I agree that the process has been challenging but at the same time very rewarding and it has brought the class closer together.
ReplyDeleteThe actual physical construction of the book has made me realize how truly incredible and laborious the process is in when creating a book. Takes a lot of thought and consideration of what you would like to create, what message you want the book and cover to send and what words and image you would to emphasize. While creating my book cover out of trash, this really showed me how much I used to take advantage of books as well as trash. My mom is an avid recycler and was so happy to hear that I was using things that could not be recycled to create something so beautiful. Something like a book cover to me always seemed so simple but when creating my own I realized it was far from that, something much much more than that. I really like the point Alexandria made about when we did these assignments, the altered books, accordion books & book covers, we really begin to notice that details that have existed but often go unnoticed. This is so true because we are drawing our own messages from the details that were unnoticed. Almost rewriting a story that has already been created which is a beautiful, intense process.
ReplyDeleteI used to love reading in the bathtub!
I feel like this blog post could be nicknamed “My love of print”. I truly enjoy reading your work when you are impassioned by a subject because it imbues everyone who reads it with that passion. I too have a love of books and the power they can convey. Power both in mean and in the intrinsic beauty of the book. While in a large library I love to look at old books and see the beauty in their binding and typeface. I like how you pay homage to the process of book making and how hard it actually is. The precision which is needed so its beauty shines through. It is fascinating with how much goes into the process, and daunting when we embarked on that process ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI also liked the point of growing closer to our classmates, because they were such an integral part of the experience. Constantly we were bouncing idea off one another and asking for ideas. Each one of our works in reality represented a conversation that we had with one another.
I really agree with what everyone is saying. Altering these books really made you appreciate what goes into the book. For me, it also makes me appreciate the words and illustrations in the book. My final altered book was on Dr. Suess's Oh, The Places You'll Go. Before I started this project I did not think much of the book. It was a children's book that I use to read when I was little and thats about it. Once I started to explore this book more and start to alter it, I began to understand the book more and more. I was able to relate to the words and pictures in a new way, in a way that I never had before. Even though it was meant for children, I realized that these words can relate to many stages in a person's life. I was able to appreciate the book in a new way which I never could before. I really liked how I could take the words that were written in the book and transform the book into something that I could relate to at this stage of my life.
ReplyDeleteI also really enjoyed hearing about your experiences with the libraries in Ireland. Books are a beautiful thing and I do not think they are appreciated nearly as much as they should be. Each book is special in its own way. They are also special to each person who reads them. Each book relates to someone in some different way. It is amazing the kind of influence a book can have in a person's life.
I enjoyed reading about your love and appreciation for books - and it shows every time you talk about Harry Potter. As I kid I remember getting so excited when I would buy a new book, such as from the Scholastic catalog. I would get this warm, fuzzy feeling on the drive home, eager to read it. Some where along the way though, I think I lost that passion. Constructing our books this semester definitely revived those feelings that were once lost. Books are more than just the words on the pages, or the front and back covers - they take on so much more meaning.
ReplyDelete