Across the Spectrum

Color in American Fine and Private Press Books, 1890-2015
  • Symposium
  • Videos from the symposium
Art Nouveau flowers and vines in a poster for the exhibition

On exhibit February 15 - May 23, 2016

This exhibition explores the establishment of a fine and private press movement in America, beginning at the end of the nineteenth century and continuing to the present day, through its various uses of color. Color was used not only to enhance the page visually, but also to convey important information. Techniques employed to impart color to the page varied, from hand-coloring printed outlines to colored woodcuts and engravings, from applying color through stencils (pochoir) to color lithography, from silkscreening to typographic color. The exhibition celebrates the recent acquisition by the Penn Libraries of The Jean-François Vilain and Roger S. Wieck Collection of Private Presses, Ephemera, & Related References.

The accompanying catalogue is Color in American Fine and Private Press Books, 1890-2015: The Jean-François Vilain and Roger S. Wieck Collection of Private Presses, Ephemera, & Related References, designed by Jerry Kelly. It includes essays by Lynne Farrington, Russell Maret, and Jean-Francois Vilain as well as exhibition checklist and list of presses in the collection. The catalog is available here.

Installation views of Across the Spectrum exhibition

overall view of Across the Spectrum
overall view of Across the Spectrum
Across the Spectrum Introduction
detail of Case 1 - From England to America
Case 1 - From England to America
detail of Case 1 - From England to America
detail of Case 1 - From England to America
Case 2 - Elbert Hubbard and the Roycroft Printing Shop
wall detail of Case 2 - Elbert Hubbard and the Roycroft Printing Shop
Case 2 - Elbert Hubbard and the Roycroft Printing Shop
detail of wall detail of Case 2 - Elbert Hubbard and the Roycroft Printing Shop
Case 3 - Out of One Century and Into the Next: 1890-1910
detail of Case 3 - Out of One Century and Into the Next: 1890-1910
Case 4 - In and Out of the Depression and Prohibition: Late 1920s - 1930s
wall detail of Case 4 - In and Out of the Depression and Prohibition: Late 1920s - 1930s
Case 4 - In and Out of the Depression and Prohibition: Late 1920s - 1930s
detail of Case 4 - In and Out of the Depression and Prohibition: Late 1920s - 1930s
detail of Case 4 - In and Out of the Depression and Prohibition: Late 1920s - 1930s
Case 4 - In and Out of the Depression and Prohibition: Late 1920s - 1930s
Case 4 - In and Out of the Depression and Prohibition: Late 1920s - 1930s
detail of Case 4 - In and Out of the Depression and Prohibition: Late 1920s - 1930s
wall detail of Case 4 - In and Out of the Depression and Prohibition: Late 1920s - 1930s
Case 5 - A Mid-Century Aesthetic: 1940s and 1950s
Case 5 - A Mid-Century Aesthetic: 1940s and 1950s
Case 6 - Forerunners of the Modern Presses: 1960s and 1970s
Case 6 - Forerunners of the Modern Presses: 1960s and 1970s
wall detail of Case 6 - Forerunners of the Modern Presses: 1960s and 1970s
detail of Case 6 - Forerunners of the Modern Presses: 1960s and 1970s
Case 7 - The Contemporary Scene: Alive and Well and Prospering
Case 7 - The Contemporary Scene: Alive and Well and Prospering
Case 7 - The Contemporary Scene: Alive and Well and Prospering
overall view of Across the Spectrum
overall view of Case 8 and Case 9
overall view of Case 8 and Case 9
Case 8
detail of Case 8
detail of Case 8
detail of Case 8
detail of Case 8
Case 8 and Case 9
Case 9
detail of Case 9
wall view behind Case 8 and Case 9
wall view behind Case 8 and Case 9
wall detail
wall detail
overall gallery view
Case 10
detail of Case 10
detail of Case 10
Case 11 - Small, Smaller, Smallest: A Plethora of Miniature Books
Case 11 - Small, Smaller, Smallest: A Plethora of Miniature Books
Case 11 - Small, Smaller, Smallest: A Plethora of Miniature Books
Case 11 - Small, Smaller, Smallest: A Plethora of Miniature Books
detail of Case 11 -Small, Smaller, Smallest: A Plethora of Miniature Books
Case 12 - A Message to Garcia
detail of Case 12 - A Message to Garcia
Case 12 - A Message to Garcia
detail of Case 11 - Small, Smaller, Smallest: A Plethora of Miniature Books
Case 13 - Approaches to Color
detail of Case 13 - Approaches to Color
detail of Case 13 - Approaches to Color
detail of Case 13 - Approaches to Color
detail of Case 13 - Approaches to Color
Case 14 - In the Trade: Commercial and Literary Publishers
detail of Case 14 - In the Trade: Commercial and Literary Publishers
detail of Case 14 - In the Trade: Commercial and Literary Publishers
detail of Case 14 - In the Trade: Commercial and Literary Publishers
overall view of Case 14 and Case 15
Case 14 wall detail
Case 14 - In the Trade: Commercial and Literary Publishers
detail of Case 14 - In the Trade: Commercial and Literary Publishers
detail of Case 14 - In the Trade: Commercial and Literary Publishers
detail of Case 14 - In the Trade: Commercial and Literary Publishers
Case 15 - Blossoming Communities of Book Lovers
Case 15 - Blossoming Communities of Book Lovers
wall above Case 15
wall above Case 15
detail of Case 15 - Blossoming Communities of Book Lovers
detail of Case 15 - Blossoming Communities of Book Lovers
Symposium
Muriel Pfaelzer Bodek Fund for Library Public Events
February 26-27, 2016

The Art of the Book

Color in American Fine & Private Press Books, 1890-2015

Celebrating the themes of our newest exhibition, Across the Spectrum, this symposium will explore the work of fine presses from different perspectives. Speakers will discuss the creation of fine press books; the history of color in books; art in and art of fine press books; teaching book arts to a new generation; and collecting and exhibiting fine press books. The keynote address will be delivered by Mark Dimunation, Chief of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress.

  • Preliminary Schedule

    Friday, February 26, 2016

    5:30-6:30 pm Symposium keynote address: Mark Dimunation
    Mark Dimunation is the Chief of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress

    6:30-7:30 pm Exhibition opening reception

     

    Saturday, February 27, 2016

    8:30-9:00 am Registration and coffee

    9:00-10:30 am Welcome and Session 1: Creating Fine and Private Press Books

    Carol Blinn

    Abigail Rorer

    Robin Price

    Mark Tomlinson

    10:30-10:45 am Break

    10:45 am-12:00 pm Session 2: Color in Fine and Private Press Books

    Dan De Simone

    Russell Maret

    12:00-1:30 pm Lunch (on your own)

    1:30-3:00 pm Session 3: Art in/Art of Fine and Private Press Books

    Mindy Belloff

    Carolee Campbell

    Michael Thompson

    3:00-3:15 pm Break

    3:15-4:45 pm Session 4: Teaching Making/Teaching with Fine and Private Press Books

    Matt Neff

    Sharka Hyland

    Barbara Henry

    4:45-5:00 pm Break

    5:00-6:00 pm Session 5: Collecting and Exhibiting Fine and Private Press Books-Three Perspectives

    Jean-François Vilain

    Lynne Farrington

    Mark Samuels Lasner

  • The symposium is sponsored by the Muriel Pfaelzer Bodek Fund for Library Public Events of the University of Pennsylvania Libraries.

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Muriel Pfaelzer Bodek Fund for Library Public Events
February 26-27, 2016

Art of the Book

Video Presentations

Welcome and Introduction.
William Noel, Director, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Symposium Keynote - Looking Differently: Book Arts in the 21st Century, Mark Dimunation, Chief of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress.
Across the Spectrum Exhibition Overview, Lynne Farrington, Senior Curator, Special Collections, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Session1. Creating Fine and Private Press Books - Alice Austin (chair). Welcome - Lynne Farrington and Jean-Francois Vilain.
Carol Blinn, Warwick Press, A One Woman Shop.  
Abigail Rorer, Collaboration and The Lone Oak Press.  
Robin Price, The Chameleon Approach to Book Arts.  Mark Tomlinson, No Straight Lines.

Session2. Color in Fine and Private Press Books - David McKnight (chair).
Dan De Simone, Color Printing in Early Printed Books.  
Russell Maret, Color in the Modern Fine Press Artist's Book.

Session3. Art in/Art of Fine and Private Press Books - Hannah Bennett (chair).
Mindy Beloff, Intimate Vision: The Art in Intima Press Books.  
Carolee Campbell, The Poetry In & Of Artist's Books: A Braided Path.  
Michael Thompson, Fine Press Books, Fine Art Books, and the Contemporary Art Market.

Session4. Teaching Making/Teaching with Fine and Private Press Books - Shushi Yoshinaga (chair)
Matt Neff, Teaching with the Common Press.  
Sharka Hyland, WHAT?! and Other Observations: Learning from the Collections at the Kislak Center.  
Barbara Henry, Facing the Students.

Session5. Collecting and Exhibiting Fine and Private Press Books - Three Perspectives
Jean-Francois Vilain
Lynne Farrington
Mark Samuels Lasner.

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