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Show is an open book
'The Book as Art: Twenty Years of Artists' Books From the National Museum of Women in the Arts,' which runs through Feb. 4, features a piece by local artist Kerry McAleer-Keeler.
Date published: 1/11/2007
By SHEILA WICKOUSKI For THE FREE LANCE-STAR One of local artist Kerry McAleer-Keeler's best works at a 2004 exhibit in the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts' Members Gallery was a small music-box book. Created with iconic objects relating to motherhood and sacrifice--a small nest with an egg, the skull of a bird, a photo of a mother and baby, a representation of the Madonna and child, a feather and the sheet music of a hymn--this visual narrative was aptly titled "Homage to Motherhood: The Music of Life." That work is now featured in the exhibit "The Book as Art: Twenty Years of Artists' Books From the National Museum of Women in the Arts," which runs through Feb. 4. McAleer-Keeler is one of two artists in the area who join 86 others from 12 countries whose books are the subject of the NMWA's anniversary celebration. Book art is not simply the illustration of books. Artists, by using a wide range of media and assembling books in a variety of forms and shapes, are able to unfold something that is intrinsic in the literary form and goes beyond decoration to enhance the text. Nor are these visual pieces meant to replace the act of reading books. The viewer is invited to actively experience the book by seeing it expressed in terms of a piece of art. "The Book as Art" covers the emotional range of the human experience from whimsical to tragic. Spanning the diverse roles of women, the exhibition is divided into nine themes: Storytellers; Autobiographers; Historians; Mothers, Daughters and Wives; Dreamers and Magicians; Travelers; Nature; Food and the Body; and Inspired by the Muses. Some of the pieces were inspired by literary works, which have been incorporated into the art. For instance, one artist presents a poem about a bitter romance written on the sheets of a pillowcase in a miniature bedroom scene. The piece would not substitute for reading the original work, but it offers a new view of the essential truth of the original literary form. In this show are several examples of musical works transformed into book art, while some of the most delightful expressions are the unexpected presentations of food. "Teatimes" by Allison Cooke Brown is a box of Salada tea. The bright red label contrasts with the bags inside, on which have been written personal musings.
When all is read and done, books whether fact or fiction are the most precious form the imagination can take. This unique show is like a pair of new reading glasses that will give you--literally--new ways to see books through the eyes of artists.
Date published: 1/11/2007
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