Artists' Book Collection Rehousing
FAIN: PG-266627-19
William Paterson University (Wayne, NJ 07470-2103)
Casey Mathern (Project Director: January 2019 to present)
The purchase of preservation supplies and
storage furniture to improve the long-term care of a collection of 411 artists’
books. These books date from 1960 to the present and were created by canonical
twentieth-century artists such as Marina Abramovic, John Baldessari, Louise
Bourgeois, John Cage, John Chamberlain, Chuck Close, Sol LeWitt, and Carrie Mae
Weems. The books encompass a wide range of content and perspectives and a mix
of formats, such as bound volumes, rollout scrolls, and accordion and pop-up
books, along with various types of media, including collage, printmaking, and
photography. They are frequently used in exhibitions, teaching, and research at
the university.
The NEH Preservation Assistance Grant would allow the William Paterson University Galleries to permanently house its collection of artists’ books in archival enclosures for long-term preservation. This collection includes 411 one-of-a-kind and limited-edition books created by nationally and internationally-renowned contemporary visual artists, dating from 1960 to the present. The grant would allow the staff to acquire archival enclosures and a cabinet to rehouse the collection. The goal of the proposed project is to improve the current housing and ensure the long-term preservation of the collection. The long-term preservation of this collection squarely dovetails with the humanities mission of the University Galleries by introducing audiences to contemporary art through hands-on opportunities which link the formal elements and narrative content of these visual arts objects to diverse cultural and social themes, and promotes the development of critical thinking skills.
Associated Products
University Galleries Online Collection (Web Resource)Title: University Galleries Online Collection
Author: Galleries staff
Abstract: The University Galleries’ permanent collection dates back to the founding of the institution in 1855 and currently consists of approximately 3,500 objects ranging from African and Oceanic ethnographic objects to 19th century American paintings, contemporary prints, artists’ books, and outdoor sculpture. The permanent collection is a unique resource for study and exhibition within and beyond campus. This online catalog is a work in progress and will be regularly updated in order to provide increasing accessibility to our collection.
Year: 2019
Primary URL:
https://wpunjart.pastperfectonline.com/Primary URL Description: This is the online database for the University Galleries permanent collection created using PastPerfect collection management software.