Book History: “Artist’s Book. Russia United Kingdom” exhibition in Saratov

On August 8, 2014, in the House and Museum of Pavel Kuznetsov (Saratov) opens of the exhibition “Artist’s Book. Russia - United Kingdom.”

The international "Artist's Book. Russia / United Kingdom” project objective is to demonstrate the unique and common features of the art book, presenting the works of joined by the national artistic traditions authors from the UK and Russia.

British tradition of the artist's book goes back in the 1960s, when on a wave of the protest movement against the galleries’ dominance and dictate many artists began to produce the conceptual and relatively low-cost books, which were the pieces of art in themselves.

Today this area of culture in Britain is sufficiently prevalent. There are many specialized Book Art Centers. "Artist's Books" could be studied in most prestigious colleges and universities, the major international fairs and festivals go annually in primary cities in the Great Britain. Virtually, every major museum and library has impressive Artist’s book collections. For instance, the Tate Gallery holds more than 8,000 exhibits, Victoria and Albert Museum - 4,000, British State Library - 1,000 Library of Chelsea College of Art - more than 4,000, the Library of the London College of Communication - more than 1,500, National Library of the Arts - 5,000, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art - other 3,000. In addition, practically any college or library in one way or another connected with the arts has its own minor gathering.

Russian collection are yet moderate, but they also belong to all the main museums and libraries: to Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian State Library, the State Russian Museum and the State Hermitage.