Beyond Words: The Collectable Book

Click here for Marianne Combs' Minnesota Public Radio piece called "Beyond Words: Collecting Books as Art"

Minnesota Center for Book Arts is pleased to present an exciting and engaging exhibition highlighting books and book-related art from a variety of public and private collections. Through a diverse set of works, viewers will learn how to build a collection, care for and display work, and appreciate the unique communicative strength of artists' books. Beautiful volumes, photographs, prints, illustrations, sketches, maps, manuscripts and process materials will be on display.

Included in the exhibition are rare works from the special collections of the College of St. Catherine and Carleton College, the Walker Art Center, the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies, the Minneapolis Community and Technical College's Alternative Press Collection, the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, the Bakken Library, the University of Minnesota's Kerlan and Hess Collections, the James Ford Bell Library, the Givens Collection of African American Literature, and the Bell Museum of Natural History. In addition, works on loan from Tom Cassidy, Dale Schwie, Steven Stwalley, Rob Rulon-Miller and other friends of MCBA will be on view.

Opening Reception: Saturday July 22, 6 to 9 pm MCBA studios

Panel Presentation "Appreciated, Collected and Read" with local book artist Susan Hensel, and MCBA's Artistic Director and exhibition curator Jeff Rathermel: 7 pm Marshall Fields Performance Hall at Open Book

ASSOCIATED PROGRAMMING
In addition to the exhibition, a series of lectures and presentations is scheduled to further explore the concepts presented in the show.

Print Salon Exhibition
July 18 - September 9
Open Book Lobby Gallery

Book Collector Home Tour
Sunday, August 13
Take a self-guided tour, stopping at homes and studios located around the Twin Cities to view a variety of private book art collections. See wonderful fine press editions, rare volumes and unique artists' books while getting ideas for displaying and caring for your own treasures. Call 612.215.2520 for tickets ($10 per person) and more information.

Building a Public Collection: The Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection
Tuesday, August 15
7 to 9 pm MCBA studios

An Evening of Fine Wine and Fine Books
Tuesday, August 29
6 to 8:30 pm MCBA gallery and studios
Join us for a showing of new and exclusive book art represented by MCBA through The Shop. Enjoy sampling a variety of wines and light refreshments while viewing the latest offerings from book artists across the country. For this one evening, select Shop merchandise will be specially priced.

Highlights from a Private Collection
Tuesday, September 19
7 to 9 pm Marshall Fields Performance Hall

Collecting Books - Collecting Ideas
Tuesday, October 3
7 to 9 pm Marshall Fields Performance Hall
Join Karen Wirth as she shares her approach to collecting artists' books as an artist and educator. With an extensive private collection, she seeks books thematically to see how artists think and problem solve, and to enhance her teaching. Wirth, Chair of the Fine Arts Department at Minneapolis College of Art and Design, is an interdisciplinary artist whose work includes books, sculpture and architecture. Her work has been exhibited extensively, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Walker Art Center.

Book Conservation, Restoration and Display
Tuesday, October 17
7 to 9 pm Marshall Fields Performance Hall

Uncollectable: An Evening of Book-Inspired Performance Art
Saturday, October 21
7 pm Marshall Fields Performance Hall
What better way to celebrate the end of an exhibition than with an evening of performances exploring some of book art's ephemeral qualities. With help from Patrick Scully, founder of "Patrick's Cabaret," MCBA presents an eclectic mix of artists investigating bookishness.