Artist's books: MOCA

Video and photography aren't the only forms that visually represent time in the art world. Artist's books are quickly becoming a new way to use time within its content, and process. Artist's books do not often hold a traditional form of a book taken off a shelf; artist's books can take many different shapes and styles. It does not necessarily have to be bound, square, or even contain text. Artist's books are forms in which artist's can make to represent their ideas. Through the act of reading and turning the pages, viewers are able become a participant in this time based art form.

There are many tactics and techniques used to make Artist's books. Depending on the idea, each artist may have a different idea of how to represent their theme through the form of the book. Since Artist's books can take any shape or form, Artist's have a variety of ways to bind, cut, fold, and mold their books. The process of creating the book is also a very important part of the Artist's books. The process and how the book is made is essentially the finished product. Depending on how the artist chooses to make the book, the book will display his/her efforts in the end.

A book holds two forms of time: the reader who holds the present time and the book that holds all present, past, future or even sustained time. So in a sense, books are very much like videography and photography. As the reader is turning the page, he/she is essentially moving the time in the book much like still images move in a movie or a film. The difference between a book and a movie is the participatory aspect of the form. During a movie, the viewer is participating only through viewing the screen. A viewer reading a book however is not only physically connecting with the content but also mentally creating time in a still form.