Booknesses

Booknesses is a full-colour catalogue of the 258 book objects, historical and contemporary from both South African and international artists represented in one of the largest and most comprehensive exhibitions of artists books ever to have been held internationally. The catalogue contains essays by David Paton, Keith Dietrich, Pippa Skotnes, Robbin Ami Silverberg and Kim Berman in conversation with Jack Ginsberg and is edited by Robyn Sassen. It adds extensive new knowledge to the book arts in South Africa. The catalogue showcases one aspect of the remarkable Jack Ginsberg Collection of Artists Books, which is internationally respected and is unique on the African continent. The Foreword, by Federico Freschi (Dean of the School of Arts of the University of Johannesburg) is followed by an Introduction by Robyn Sassen. Preceding the full-color catalogue of the exhibition are chapter essays: Chapter 1. ''Simultaneous Journeys: Thematics in the Curating of the book.'' By David Paton.Chapter 2. ''Between the Folds: The Struggle Between Images and Texts with Reference to Selected Artists' Books.'' By Keith Deitrich.Chapter 3. ''Axeage Private Press and the Book in a Cave.'' By Pippa Skotnes.Chapter 4. ''A New Yorker's Parallax View.'' By Robbin Silverberg.Chapter 5. ''A Conversation with Jack Ginsberg.'' By Kim Berman etc. The catalogue includes a double fold-down gate-fold (three pages). Included with the catalogue is a separate 48-page booklet from the 1996 exhibition of Ginsberg's collection at the Johannesberg Art Gallery.