Beyond the Text

The selection of artists' books presented here, drawn from the collection of Robert J. Ruben, showcases the seemingly infinite variety and high quality of these fascinating objects. Creators of artists' books use type, materials, movement, color, transparency, contrast of texture, and assertive three-dimensionality to convey information in the broadest sense. Rather than embellishing the text, artists' books are the text. They may take various forms: accordion, codex, scroll, box book, pop-up, or tunnel. They may have previously known texts, new texts, or no text at all; the subject matter may be political, argumentative, or humorous.