Conceptual Artists’ Books
What makes a book?
Several of the books classified as “conceptual artists’ books” were created by artists involved in the Conceptual Art movement. This movement was rooted in the notion that the essence of art is an idea, or concept, and that it may exist separately from, and in the absence of, an object as its representation. The artist’sbook was, in turn, integral to the development of Conceptual Art.
Conceptual artists’ books can be used as vehicles for messages. While it is necessary for form and function to be unified in successful artists’ books, sometimes one quality overrides another. In these books, aesthetics are sometimes subverted and become secondary to the concepts conveyed. These books tell stories. They are narratives of bodies, imprints of towns, streetscapes and individual buildings. They have messages, but remain open to interpretations.