The ‘books, art, craft and community’ of the title centres around a physical location in East London and spreads across the world from Japan to France, the USA and back to Britain. International collaborations in book love!
The London Centre for Book Arts is an educational resource and open access studio. Ira Yonemura and Simon Goode created this space, and this publication as ‘a conversation starter, or a way to restart the conversation about books anew.’
Refusing to be confined by definitions or tradition, Yonemura and Goode have come to the conclusion that working together as a collective is the only way of ‘establishing a fair, dignified and sustainable way of working.’
I’ve singled out two makers from the selection:
Having long been a user (in the addicted sense) of Esme Winter‘s printed papers, it’s a joy to learn more about the company’s process and history. How designs evolve through drawing, to offset lithography and letterpress. Playing with shape, colour and scale over time.
When Tracey Rowledge and I presented talks about our work at The National Museums of Scotland many years ago, I was struck by her ability to combine the precious with the banal. She might gold-tool a discarded shopping list or tyre print, for example. Again, it’s intriguing to read the thinking behind the work – an extra dimension to book appreciation.
There are many other stories here, limited only by circumstantial constraints and number of letters in the alphabet. I hope you can explore them on your book art journey.
Books: Art, Craft and Community is published by Ludion.
Golden Hare Books are offering 10% on this month’s choice, when you purchase here, using the code bookbinderbookreview007 until 13th December 2021.
We wish London Centre for Book Arts all the best as they continue to transform and fully reopen their studio.
By the way, if you’re looking for a festive shade of red linen thread – here it is!
