Rethinking the book

Uncle Melvin Looks Back by Janice Kagermeier
Outside (top) includes an aerial photo of the Cincinnati neighborhood
that Janice's uncle grew up in, while the inside (bottom) tells his story.

Tearing books apart is essential to my art, but that doesn't mean that I don't appreciate books in all their many forms. That appreciation led me to join the Cincinnati Book Arts Society a few years ago. Now, I'm in the study group, which meets monthly to explore new techniques in bookmaking, and I'm a new member of the board.

I keep thinking that books will make their way into my art, although I haven't brought the two together yet. Meanwhile, plenty of other members have done just that and there are some riveting examples in Bookworks 13 at the public library's main branch downtown. They are at turns funny, poignant, whimsical and serious, and the forms range from cascading pages to a 9-yard scroll.

The library has been a major supporter of the annual exhibit and even buys a couple of books each year for its artists' books collection. This year, CBAS also will purchase a book to donate to the library. Some of the books in the collection are on display through Aug. 12 on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the main library.

Bookworks 13 continues through Sept. 2, with a walk-through with some of the artists at 2 p.m. on Sunday Aug. 26. For more about the exhibit and CBAS, check out CityBeat's review of the exhibition or the Enquirer's feature story on it or the CBAS blog.