July 9 - October 9, 2010

On view through October 9, Altered Books features book art by artists from across the United States and Canada. Complimenting the exhibit is On Reading: Selections from the Photographic Society of America Collection featuring twenty-one photographic prints portraying humanity's love affair with books.

Though book making has been prevalent for centuries, book arts didn't emerge until the 1960's. Since then the field has expanded to include many practices including the production of one-of-a-kind books or book works, limited edition printed books, altered books and sculptural books.

Untitled's Altered Books exhibition focuses on the book as object in a primarily sculptural sense. Artists utilize books as raw material, either independent of content or supporting it. The artists have deconstructed and reconfigured these 'objects' transforming them into something other than their utilitarian design. Through folding, carving, shredding, slicing, warping, excavating, dissecting, and stacking, each act turns the book from a container of text and illustration into an abstract form. However, even as they are cut, warped, and bound the visual remains of the book - pages, printed text and cardboard spine - remain, allowing the identification of the object's origin.

Altered Books is curated by Elizabeth Brown, Assistant Chair and Associate Professor of Art at the College of Fine Art and Design, University of Central Oklahoma. Brown's inspiration for this exhibit came from the idea of reading form, form which at one time was a book. She states, "To take an object typically thought of as a container of information and treat it as raw material or a blank slate is simultaneously sacrilege and inspiring."

Watch a segment of Is this a Great State or What? featuring Altered Books
Read an article from The Oklahoman about Altered Books.
See pictures from the opening reception of Altered Books on Helen Wallace's blog.
Watch a video and read an article about Altered Books in Mood.
Read an article about Altered Books in the Oklahoma Gazette.

This exhibition is open to the public Thursday and Friday 10am - 5pm and Saturday 10am - 4pm. Admission is free.