Book – Space: Explore visual responses to the book, text and reading from the late nineteenth century onwards

Book — Space is an exhibition that asks “what is a book?” It considers how writers, artists and designers have approached the reading and presentation of books from the late nineteenth century onwards and investigates their form, content, structure and reading.

The work of modernist author James Joyce provides a catalyst for individual artistic responses by Chaosmos Studio, Joe Gilmore and Clinton Cahill. This shared interest in Joyce’s work stems from this use of experimental language and also his concern for the way his writing appeared in book form. The responses included in Book — Space begin with ideas from Joyce’s writing but also use them as tools for reflection on book design, the artsit’s book, typography, photography and drawing.

Material selected from personal libraries and Special Collections at the University of Leeds contextualises these works by presenting typographic treatments of text, explorations of book structure and examples of Joyce’s work in relation to art and design.