Books. Art, Craft & Community maps a living ecosystem of papermakers, printers, bookbinders, artists, and publishers whose work insists that the book — as object, as craft, as idea — remains one of the most charged sites of making in contemporary culture.
About This Book
What does it mean to make a book by hand in the twenty-first century? This volume answers through more than 30 profiles of practitioners from around the world, from traditional craftspeople working within centuries-old bookbinding and papermaking lineages to contemporary artists reimagining the codex for new audiences. Curated by Simon Goode and Ira Yonemura of the London Centre for Book Arts, the selection is guided by a shared spirit of curiosity and resilience. Expert contributors place the profiles within the broader history and contemporary context of book arts, revealing how form, material, and concept are bound together — and why the handmade book continues to matter.
Key Features
- 224 pages of practitioner profiles, process documentation, and expert contextual essays on book arts
- Curated by Simon Goode and Ira Yonemura of the London Centre for Book Arts
- Over 30 profiles spanning papermakers, printers, bookbinders, artists, designers, and publishers worldwide
- Published by Ludion, ISBN: 9789493039520
What You'll Discover
- How traditional bookbinding and papermaking skills are being preserved, challenged, and transformed by contemporary makers
- The way material choice — paper, ink, binding structure — functions as a conceptual and artistic decision, not merely a technical one
- The intersection of community and craft: how independent publishers, artist-printers, and bookbinders are building networks that sustain their practices
- The historical context behind book arts processes and how practitioners are forging new possibilities for audience engagement
About the Author
The book was selected and curated by Simon Goode and Ira Yonemura of the London Centre for Book Arts, an institution dedicated to the practice, teaching, and promotion of artist bookmaking. Additional contributions come from expert voices across the field of book arts.
Specifications
- Format: Hardcover
- Pages: 224
- Dimensions: 223 x 274 mm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9789493039520
- Publisher: Ludion
- Publication Date: [Details available upon request]
Perfect For: Designers, artists, and educators drawn to the materiality of print; book arts practitioners and collectors; anyone working at the intersection of craft, publishing, and contemporary art.