Workshop reflections

Artists have always had a fluid relationship with books and evolving technology. For Sarah Bodman the future is full of possibility for the artist book, but questions remain about how the physical and the digital might co-exist.

Digitising artist books could potentially open up their contents to audiences around the world. Reflecting on workshops held in 2012, Richard Clay and Eugene Ch’ng ask if they can ever be a substitute for the physical object.

Often produced as limited editions, artist books generally cannot reach a wide audience. Digitisation, however, can help overcome this obstacle. Paul Coldwell reflects on a series of workshops held in 2012, considering the potential benefits of digitisation ­but also the potential losses.

A book may seem unchanging but it also captures a particular moment in a production cycle. Johanna Drucker reflects on the increasingly flexible digital landscape and how this could affect the reception and production of artist books in future.

Digital information about artist books has been available for decades in the form of electronic library catalogues. Elizabeth James considers what the latest technological developments offer those searching for artist books, in particular those who are interested in their visual qualities.

The term ‘artist book’ is grounded in a history of artistic production, emanating from the conceptual art of the 1960s and 1970s. Reflecting on a series of workshops held in 2012, Jo Melvin discusses the problems in applying this term in the digital age.

What does transforming artist books mean? What did it mean fifty years ago? Clive Phillpot reflects on a series of workshops held in 2012, which considered the past as well as the future of the artist book.

The future of the artist book is a subject involving many different producers, including artists and writers. Steve Woodall discusses the desired outcomes of a project in the United States which is seeking to create a sustainable publishing platform for the artist book.