Events

LIBRARTIS is the creation of Fabio Mazzieri from Siena, Italy who invited 100 artists from Italy and a dozen other countries to participate in this exhibition of one-of-a-kind books you can touch. It is against normal expected protocol to be invited to experience tactile qualities in an art gallery or museum. However, this is exactly what Mazzieri intended. This time the visitor is invited to touch.

Mazzieri says, “The book is a reference, a reading tool that is a cornerstone of our culture. But while writing is one form of expressive imagination, painting may display parallel worlds of reality. As pages are painted, drawn, scratched, and stained — these tactile materials open new horizons of expression. The artist always thinks of discovering new techniques, new forms, and new spaces. To fully experience the artist’s book one must turn the pages, touch for the first time the work of art that, usually, is forbidden to touch — a new sensation to feel smooth paper, rough, porous, fabrics, soft, plastic, sharp sensations and tactile values can even benefit the blind.”

By combining the Italian words for book and art, the title and concept of LIBRARTIS was born. Invitations were first given to artists from Tuscany, and later, as the idea grew, extended to the whole of Italy — now the artistic friendships extend internatonally and books in the show are included from Argentina, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Georgia, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States.

–Neil Tetkowski, Director of University Galleries, Kean University