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Overview
In this, Ralph Gibson’s 30th monograph, books themselves have become objects of fascination, examination, and veneration. From the early days of ancient Roman stone carvings to the revolutionary printing of the Gutenberg Bible through today’s explosion of information on the Internet, Ex Libris chronicles the written record, offering a new interpretation of the signs, letter forms, shapes, and images used to document human history. Features images from the world’s greatest book collections and libraries, including the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris; the British Museum; the New York Public Library; the Pierpont Morgan Library; and the Cairo Museum.Editorials
Booknews
Taking the book as his subject, the written word as his object, Gibson constructs an idealized library<-->a collection of signs, letterforms, shapes, and images drawn from masterpieces throughout history. Featuring the handwriting of Bach, Balzac, and Kafka, as well as early typography and digital technology, Gibson's photographs treat these images as icons, investing each with a meaning beyond the aesthetic and commenting at the same time on our values of meaning and beauty. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)Book Details
Published
December 1, 2001
Publisher
New York, NY : PowerHouse Books, 2001.
Pages
144
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9781576871003