University Libraries Call for Entries for Altered Book Exhibition
Sponsored by the University Libraries Arts and Exhibits committee, “Bound and Unbound V: Altered Book Exhibition” features an exhibit of mixed media artwork that changes a book from its original form by altering its state or meaning. Books from any source and media are eligible for this exhibition, and all work must be original and executed within the last three years.
Entries for “Bound and Unbound V” are open to the public and artists can submit up to three entries by April 2. There is no fee to enter the exhibition and selected works will be on display at USD’s University Libraries second floor exhibition cases from Aug. 26 through Jan. 3, 2020 as well as entered into the altered book collection on the Digital Library of South Dakota and the Digital Public Library of America. A full prospectus and entry form for the exhibition can be found at https://libguides.usd.edu/BU5.
“'Bound and Unbound' is now in its 10th year, and the libraries are committed to exhibiting some of the world’s best altered book entries, as well as growing our online study collection of altered books,” said committee member Sarah A. Hanson-Pareek, digitization and photographs curator at the University Libraries. “The response to calls has always been very positive, and we currently have 167 works in our online collection, representing many diverse artists.”
This year’s juror is Jessica Drenk. Drenk, an American artist raised in Montana, developed an appreciation for the natural world in her home state, which remains an important inspiration to her artwork today. Tactile and textural, her sculptures highlight the chaos and beauty that can be found in simple materials. Drenk’s work is also influenced by systems of information and the impulse to develop an encyclopedic understanding of the world. Working with altered books for over 15 years, Drenk’s work can be found in private collections throughout the world, and can be seen in galleries across the United States. Her work is a part of several corporate collections, such as Fidelity Investments and the Macallan distillery in Scotland, as well as university collections, including Yale University Art Gallery. Drenk has been the recipient of several awards, including the International Sculpture Center’s Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award, and her work has been pictured in “Sculpture” and “Interior Design” magazines, as well as the “Workshop Guide to Ceramics.” More information about Drenk and her art can be found at www.jessicadrenk.com.
"Bound and Unbound V: Altered Book Exhibition" is in its fifth year exhibiting international altered book art.
For more information, please contact Hanson-Pareek at [email protected], Danielle De Jager-Loftus at [email protected] or Michael Boring at [email protected].