Women in a Golden Age of Artists' Books

[Harold Kyle]

Here are event details for a show at NYPL that coincides nicely with the National Stationery Show. If anyone is interesting in going together from the show, you can send me a message or mention in the comments here…

“Women in a Golden Age of Artists’ Books” roundtable discussion
Tuesday, May 22, 6:30-7:45 PM

Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Margaret Liebman Berger Forum
476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018
The May 22 event “Women in a Golden Age of Artists’ Books” has been moved to the Center for Book Arts, located at 28 West 27th Street, 3rd Floor, between Broadway and 6th Avenue.

REGISTER

Three women who were pivotal in the development of offset-printed artists’ books discuss the past, present, and future of the unique visual form and transformative medium.

FEATURING

• Cynthia Marsh, Professor of Art, Founder of the Goldsmith Press & Rare Type Collection at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee
• Rebecca Michaels, Associate Professor of Photography at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia
• Patty Smith, artist, printmaker, book artist, and professor of Fine Arts, Printmaking at The University of the Arts, Philadelphia
• Tony White, Florence and Herbert Irving Associate Chief Librarian, Thomas J. Watson Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Artists’ books are works of art that are usually produced in small, limited editions with the goal of creating something that is easily accessible outside of the rarefied spaces of art galleries or museums. As early as the 1950s, artists and publishers began using high-speed offset printing—a highly technical, industrial method that is also used to produce books, magazines, newspapers, and currency—to produce artists’ books in color and in large quantities. It revolutionized their production. Cynthia Marsh, Rebecca Michaels, and Patty Smith forged their own paths in this field during the 1970s and ’80s, a time said to have been the golden age of offset-printed artists’ books. But in a field dominated by men, their significant contributions to that era have often been eclipsed.

Marsh, a founding member of the Women’s Graphic Center at the Woman’s Building in Los Angeles, helped establish a community publication studio for women artists that supported the Feminist Studio Workshop founded by Judy Chicago, Arlene Raven, and Sheila de Bretteville. Michaels ran the 5,700-pound Heidelberg offset press in the print shop at the Tyler School of Art and also teaches and makes her own artist’s books. Smith almost singlehandedly revived a defunct print shop at the SUNY Purchase Center for Editions. She also co-founded the Borowsky Center for Publication Arts at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, an educational facility where faculty, students, and visiting artists can make offset lithographs and artist’s books. Works by all speakers are held in the Library’s collections, including The Book of Hair (Michaels), and On the Other Side, a collaborative work by Patty Smith and Claire Fouquet. (Smith).

Marsh, Michaels, and Smith will speak with Tony White about their work, artists’ books and publications, as well as the changing roles of women in the history of offset printing.

This program presented in conjunction with the course,“The History of Artists’ Books Since 1950,” offered by Rare Book School May 21–25 at Thomas J. Watson Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Co-presented with Rare Book School; the New York City Chapter of The American Printing History Association; Small Editions Artist’s Books; and Theta Chapter, Beta Phi Mu Honor Society, Pratt Institute School of Information.

If you are still interested in attending, please email RSVP@centerforbookarts.org and note that space in this venue is limited to 75 guests.

Fully accessible to wheelchairs
Program is free, but advance registration is recommended. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance.

FIRST COME, FIRST SEATED
For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form one hour before the program.

PRESS
Please send all press inquiries (photo, video, interviews, audio-recording, etc.) at least 24-hours before the day of the program to Ayofemi Kirby at ayofemikirby@nypl.org.

• This topic was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by Harold Kyle.
• This topic was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by Harold Kyle.
• This topic was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by Harold Kyle.
• This topic was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by Harold Kyle.

The May 22 event “Women in a Golden Age of Artists’ Books” has been moved to the Center for Book Arts, located at 28 West 27th Street, 3rd Floor, between Broadway and 6th Avenue.

If you are still interested in attending, please email RSVP@centerforbookarts.org and note that space in this venue is limited to 75 guests.

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