Beyond the Text: Artists' Books from the Collection of Robert J. Ruben

The selection of artists' books presented here, drawn from the collection of Robert J. Ruben, showcases the seemingly infinite variety and high quality of these fascinating objects. Creators of artists' books use type, materials, movement, color, transparency, contrast of texture, and assertive three-dimensionality to convey information in the broadest sense. Rather than embellishing the text, artists' books are the text. They may take various forms: accordion, codex, scroll, box book, pop-up, or tunnel. They may have previously known texts, new texts, or no text at all; the subject matter may be political, argumentative, or humorous.

\YVONNE KORSHAK holds a Ph.D. in art history from the University of California, Berkeley and is the recipient of many honors.

ROBERT J. RUBEN is a Distinguished University Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center. A pioneer in the collecting of artists' books, he is also a lecturer on the subject, and serves on the boards of several book arts organizations.