Zimmerman Library Frank Waters Room 105 will play host to the event “Crazy Paper: A Book Arts Open House Back to Events,” displaying the work of artists who take the traditional format of a book and try to do new things with its material, all while expanding ideas about how books communicate information and ideas.
The event is set for Friday, March 31 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and is open to the public.
Michael Taylor, a public services librarian, said the event showcases different ways artists expand on the potential of traditional formats, including the use of alternative materials, moving parts or arranging text in unusual ways.
“You wouldn’t sit down and read an artist’s book the way you would read a normal book, but you can read it the same way that you can interpret a painting, sculpture or other work of art,” Taylor said. “In other words, the communication is primarily visual.”
The Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections owns about 900 artists’ books, Taylor said, and the event will be displaying a sampling of about 30 of those books.
“Many of the books relate to Latin America and the Southwest, but there are titles in the collection from all around the world,” he said.
The art that will be shown at this event impacts students who are studying art, graphic design or communications who will hopefully be able to find inspiration for their own work, Taylor said. The materials for the event are also going to be shown to the Libros New Mexico Book Arts Guild for their monthly meeting on April 1.
“Since the materials will already be out, we decided to invite the public to view them on March 31 as part of our ongoing Collections in Focus series,” Taylor said.
The series was started last October and is intended to help UNM students and faculty, as well as members of the local community, become more familiar with the holdings of the library’s Special Collections, which are focused on Southwest culture, but also include many historical materials from outside the region, he said.
“Everyone is welcome to stop by and chat with our staff about the library’s collections and services or anything else you’ve been wanting to ask,” Taylor said.
Nichole Harwood is a reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Nolidoli1.
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