Book Arts
Book arts are unique in their dual nature as both books and art. This dichotomy allows for the artistic ideas and information to be disseminated through a large section of the population because of the familiar medium it uses, book arts are the "Trojan Horse of Art."
For hundreds of years books have been trusted sources for knowledge and even capsules of the culture of their time. The object itself grants the text contained some semblance of authority. This aspect of books is what makes book arts unique from other mediums of art. In doing so, book arts lie at an awkward intersection between unique art and mass produced, fine art and popular culture.
Book Arts can come in many forms, they can be one of a kind, limited or even unlimited (open) editions. They can be fine press books that focus on the literary content and the demands of the craft of bookmaking or they can be deluxe books that more resemble the luxury books illustrated by Picasso or Matisse that focus more on the star artist and their high cost collectability. They can even be one of the more avant-garde bookworks like a multiple bookwork that is marked by commercial printing techniques, large printing editions, and low prices or a sculptural bookwork that often does not follow the rule of typography, binding, or even reading!
