BookTalk: Art Books, Artist Books, and the Exhibition Catalogue as a Space for Intervention

Organized and moderated by Roni Gross, this BookTalk with Megan N. Liberty took place on March 23rd, 2021

The simplest definition of an artist book is an artwork in book form, designed and conceived as such. But in practicality, the lines around this art object are blurry, encompassing and excluding other terms and types such as art book and exhibition catalogue. Rather than draw a clear line around the term, this Book Talk will consider the ways artists use the exhibition catalogue to productively complicate notions of both the book as artwork and the catalogue as documentary object. We will look at examples of exhibition catalogues which were created as a collaboration between artist, designer, and institution that use the space of the catalogue as a site for artist publishing innovation. It will include books by Tauba Auerbach, Christopher Williams, and Thomas Demand.

Questions for consideration include: What are the requirements for a book to be considered an exhibition catalogue and how can those be pushed towards the characteristics of an artist book? What are the ways artists can exercise authorship in the exhibition catalogue? How does the artist as a designer change the catalogue? Does shared authorship between artist, institution, and book designer change whether the book is considered an artist book? Is the book still an exhibition catalogue if it does not document an exhibition? What resources and opportunities does intervention into an exhibition catalogue provide for artists?

This Book Talk will be structured as a group discussion. After an introduction with illustrated examples, participants will break into small discussion groups for intimate conversation before returning to the larger group to share ideas.