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Skidmore College
First-Year Experience

Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description

Leather, Paper, Lead: Artists' Books, History and Process

Instructor (s): Kate Leavitt, Art

What do books mean to you? The development of writing, printing, visual text and book forms reveals a wealth of socio-political, cultural, economic, and religious identity at any given place and time. Students will combine an interdisciplinary examination of books with the design of books in the studio to examine the role that books have played throughout history, with a particular emphasis on the 20th century artist's book as an intersection of literature and art. We will investigate rare, unique books from the Scribner Library Special Collections to decipher their history and context in order to develop an appreciation of books as objects, historical documents, and significant intellectual and cultural resources. Through critical study of these original works as well as creative bookmaking assignments, students will experience the unique interplay between word, image, page, identity, and meaning that the genre of artist's books reveal.

Course Offered