#bookworks

Photography by the-way-we-were (2023):

#ArtsyFriday

In light that this week brought both International Book Day (Thursday April 23) and National Library Week, our selected artists' book may appear a little unorthodox. Re-imagining a 'chained book', A book by Scott Sikenofka is unreadable. The book object consists of a copy of the King James Bible chained shut with a heavy duty combination lock on the front cover. The only identifiable feature is the artist's last name scrawled on the front cover in gold. Our library copy was exhibited in 'Artwoods and bookworks' at the Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art in 1978. Without a colophon or artist statement, the simple title A book was supplied by Judith Hoffberg (librarian, archivist, and editor of Umbrella, a newsletter on artists' books, mail art, and Fluxus) in a letter from 1990; Hoffberg who co-curated the 1978 exhibition. I always find book objects fascinating, but considering this piece in a time when we find ourselves away from the stacks and attempt to make connections without opening the pages of a book, this artists' book resonates. --Laura 

The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame. – Oscar Wilde