Special Collections/University Archives recently added several new titles to its special collections.
Facts on the Ground: Excerpts by Toby Millman is an artist’s book published by the Women’s Studio Workshop located in Rosendale, NY. The artist has collected maps, oral and written testimonials, and personal accounts about occupied Palestine while including several of her original art works and writings. The book is designed with drum leaf binding and is digitally cut with letterpress, silkscreen, and inject printing. Signed by the artist. The Bertrand Library’s copy is number 17 of 50 copies produced. The library’s copy is a gift in memory of James A. Russell, Class of 1967.
A 1480 printing of Josephi Machaciae Filii Hebraei Genere Sacerdotis Ex Hierosolymis De Bello Ivdaico (The Jewish Wars), one of the two greatest books by Flavius Josephus. The work is translated from the Latin of Rufinus Aquileiensis and includes a work on Apione. Textual pages are complete with the dedication by Cendrata to Donatus missing. Bound in calf with brass corner pieces, clasps, and tooling. The Bertrand Library’s copy was purchased with funds from the Milton and Eleanor Berelson Judaica Collection Endowment established by Stuart E. Berelson, Class of 1959.
Abracadabra: Homage to N.H. Werkman: A Set of Typographic Explorations by graphic artist and sculptor Werner Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer recognizes the Dutch graphic artist and resistance fighter Hendrick Nicolaas Werkman who was known for his innovative typographic works called drucksels that combined letterforms with geometry and color. Pfeiffer designed his book as a series of pages based on the characters spelling the word abracadabra and mounting the pages into three flexagon structures making it possible for the letter characters to appear and disappear by folding and flexing the pages. The effect demonstrates the illusionary realm with which the word abracadabra is associated. Unbound pages enclosed in a cloth-covered wrapper with a printed spine all held in a slipcase. The Bertrand Library’s copy is 42 of 52 signed and numbered copies. The library’s copy is a gift in memory of James A. Russell, Class of 1967.
Resourced: Justseeds Portfolio 2010 by the Justseeds Artists Cooperative located in Pittsburgh, PA. Justseeds is a cooperative network of 26 artists committed to creating print and design work that reflects the social, environmental, and political issues. Resourced is designed as a portfolio of 26 hand-produced screen and block prints focusing on resource extraction and associated climate issues with a silkscreen front sheet and screwed silkscreen covers. An accompanying booklet contains profiles about the contributing artists. Some prints are signed and dated by the artists. The Bertrand Library’s copy is number 42 of 125 copies produced.
Dialogues: New Works on Canvas by printmaker Candace Hicks. A unique popup artist book taking on the shape of an art gallery and the conversations of visitors inside the gallery represented in speech bubbles. The work is constructed with cloth over boards with hand embroidering.