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Terms

Artist Book

Artists' books (or book arts) are works of art that utilize the medium of the book. They are often published in small editions, though they are sometimes produced as one-of-a-kind single objects. Historically artists have been involved in the production of books since the early medieval period but most cite the first artists' book to English visionary artist and poet William Blake (1757–1827) as the earliest direct representation (books such as Songs of Innocence and of Experience were written, illustrated, printed, colored and bound by Blake and his wife Catherine, making them "hybrids" including the merging of handwritten texts and images). A more modern example being Twentysix Gasoline Stations, by Ed Ruscha, created and printed in 1963.


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