Notre Dame College’s Art Department presents
“Beyond the Codex: Artists’ Books”.

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio--- February 4, 2008-Notre Dame College’s Art Department is pleased to present hand made books by Cleveland area artists in an exhibit entitled “Beyond the Codex: Artists’ Books”. The exhibit, on view from February 7 to March 13, 2008 includes forty-six hand made books by twelve artists. It opens with a reception from 5p.m. to 7 p.m. on February 7th, is free and open to the public. The artists will give a gallery talk on February 22 from 11:45 to 12:45. The gallery talk will be immediately followed by an opening of the display cases so that visitors may pick up and read the books. On March 7th the cases will be opened again from noon to 6:00 p.m. so that visitors may fully appreciate the uniqueness of the books. Frequently hand made or one- of- a-kind books are kept off limits to the public but for this exhibit, all artists agreed to allow their books to be handled by visitor for these two special reading days.

Gallery director Rachel Morris decided that to fully appreciate the uniqueness of these books they need to be picked up and read. There is a sensory delight in the materials these artists use including specialty papers, textures, yarns, threads and ephemera. Because the books are not intended for mass production, many of the books include hand-cut, hand-painted and hand-lettered pages. Two books include knitted pages and one includes cross-stitched lettering.  Visitors are encouraged to discover the sequence of foldouts, attachments and surprises embedded in some of the books. Julie Friedman includes foldout pages in her book entitled Cast Shadows and Amy Fishbach created a fish shaped book with miniature fins that unfold into miniature books, while Mary Elisabeth Nelson designed a flag book  Homework, with numerous pages that fold and unfold like flags moving in a perpetual breeze.

The title of the exhibit derives from the standard western style signature manuscript called a codex. This is the traditional type of book used from the early 6th century CE in which pages are folded and bound in groups called “signatures”. While there are many beautifully designed books in the exhibit using this style, the show also includes a variety of earlier book designs going as far back as the ancient scroll format. Rachel Morris includes a hand lettered scroll complete with its own storage box entitled Annunciation. There are also numerous examples of non-adhesive Asian style books that rely on the accordion fold rather than glue or stitching. Myrlin von Glahn created a series of accordion fold books each with the emphasis on a different human virtue. Shawn Simmons’ accordion fold book Seedpod explores a variety of shapes and textures.

Several artists include boxes to house their books. Perhaps the most unique is a complete multi tiered box designed by Barb Morgan which holds eleven miniature books inside. Ben Blount, Wendy Partridge, Sue Vincent and Julie Friedman use letterpress to enhance the text of their respective books. The variety in size, shape and materials will surely surprise and delight visitors. The content of the books ranges from serious political and racial messages to classical poems and original text. Visitors are encouraged to meet the artists during the opening reception on February 7th or to hear the artists discuss their work during the gallery talk scheduled for February 22nd. All are welcome to read the books from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on February 22 and again on March 7th.

For more information contact gallery director Rachel Morris at (216) 373-5320 or rmorris@ndc.edu.