Exhibition of student art inspired by rare books 

In February students from Raluca Iancu’s ArtIS 355x / 555x: Letterpress Book Arts class visited Special Collections and University Archives to learn about the history and materiality of the book and to explore a variety of historical, fine press, and artists’ books to inspire their own accordion book projects. Now, you can see the fruits of their labor on display in Parks Library. 

Glass exhibit case with five shelves on which are arranged several books
Dimensions of Dialogue exhibit, Parks Library

Dimensions of Dialogue is a student art exhibition featuring pairs of accordion books that are in dialogue with one another through their binding, form, scale, materials, or use of imagery. They are also responding to an element of a particular rare book from Special Collections that inspired their work. These artists’ book “conversations” can be seen in the glass exhibit case in the lobby of Parks Library to the East of the Main Desk, in front of the wall of windows. They will be on display through the end of spring semester. 

Close up image of hands spreading out an accordion bound book. Book has cut-out images of jellyfish. Accordion book behind it has a color gradient from pink to blue.
Arranging a book on a shelf

The Library will be hosting a closing reception for the exhibition on May 7, 2:15-4:15pm in Rm. 198. Students will be giving individual presentations about their accordion books as well as their semester-long research projects into the work of a book artist. The reception is free and open to the public. 

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