The Hyman Collection includes a comprehensive selection of unique hand-made artist's books by John Blakemore.
Blakemore writes:
To make a book is of itself a pleasurable activity. The decisions, book shape and size, number of pages, choice of materials. The simple tools, scalpels, rules, glue brushes, bulldog clips. The craft, measuring, folding, cutting. The pleasure of the finished book, an object to handle, to fondle, to enjoy.
Yet, beyond the pleasures of it’s making, the book has a more essential purpose. Images must be scrutinized intensely, edited, sequenced, ordered. It is this intensity of engagement with the work that is , for me, the true value of the book form.
The book becomes a finished work, a site specific work, where the maker has control of all aspects of the site.
The book then begins with the images, sufficient material collected to suggests a book and the process of selection begins. A first edit, then the play of sequencing, more images are discarded, gradually an order, a final sequence emerges. Page layouts are decided upon, the number of pages assessed, book shape decided in relation to page layouts. Then with materials chosen, the making of the book can begin.
