Book Arts Exhibition at the Library

The Harold F. Johnson Library is exhibiting selections from Hampshire College’s first-ever Book Arts course from Spring, 1999. This exhibition will be through the month of June and is free and open to the public. The exhibition is on the library’s first floor.

Hampshire College held its first Book Arts course in the spring of 1999. The books in these cases represent just some of the works from this groundbreaking class. The Hampshire College Archives holds these and many other artists’ books from Hampshire students.

These works show not only the innovation and creativity of Hampshire students, but also the willingness of book artists to ask, “what is a book?” Book artists frequently view the book as not only an information recording device but also as a sculptural work. Look through these cases and you’ll see bindings, materials and designs that will challenge preconceptions of what a book is and what it can be!

For more artists’ books and other works created by students and faculty at Hampshire College please visit the Archives on the third floor. Or you can visit the Archives webpage or you can send an email to the Archivist at archives@hampshire.edu.