Exhibition catalog for "Black/White [and Read]"

Identifier:AAR.EC.0152

Creation dates:2007

Description:Catalog for "Black/White [and Read]," an exhibition on view at the Center for Book Arts April 13, 2007 - June 30, 2007. Organized by Gloria Helfgott, Artist and Independent Curator.

"Black/White [and Read]" seeks to advance an artistic challenge -- to deliver a powerful graphic statement, eschewing color, and utilizing solely black and white imagery. Through these book objects, the public reads works of art without being seduced by color or even text. The theme pervading this exhibition is that the black and white book becomes a symbolic form of censorship by the limitation forced upon the work. It blurs out information by the economy of its means and, with its dichotomous forces, it can shed light on universal themes. It is more than just showing artist's books or objects, but surrounding them with ideas that emphasize their importance in the construction of our histories.

This exhibition reflects the complexity of matching only two colors (which some observers will not consider colors at all, but only shadows and textures) with individual interpretation and emotional response to its symbolism, such as life/death, good /evil, night/day.

"Black/White [and Read]" will lay bare the bones of the book and thus will manifest the strength of image and structure.

Featured artists: Tania Baban, Maria Barbosa, Douglas Beube, G. R. Boggs, Inge Bruggemann, Beatrice Coron, Pamela Drix, Charles Hobson & Kay Bradner, Kumi Korf, Barbara Lazerus-Metz, Susan Leopold, Mary Ellen Long, Werner Pfeiffer, Pia Pizzo, Lise Poirier, Stephen Sidelinger, Robbin Ami Silverberg, Alice Simpson, Beth Thielen, Beth Thielen & Katya McCullouch, Mary Ting, Nik Tongas, Susann Wilbur, Anna Wolf, Christa Wolf.