CODEX Papers: Volume 5

For this volume, we encouraged our contributors to think about the role of craft within the fields of artists’ books and fine press publications, as well as how these works fit into the greater world of contemporary art. Conversations about craft in contemporary art practices have met with some resistance in the past. However, we currently find ourselves in an era of greater acceptance of craft legacies and practices within the fine arts. The editors of this issue were interested in investigating the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of this current trend. As we will see in this issue, craft connects us to our humanity. It cultivates a rich dialogue with others and gives meaning to how we engage with the world around us.

In this issue we push to explore where an expanded notion of craft and the handmade within contemporary art practices can take us. The authors in this issue dive deep into their practices, their passions, and their scholarship in the field. We hope you will enjoy the range of essays, interviews, and reviews in this edition which take on a range of approaches, including discussions surrounding the use of digital tools with a craft ethos, and ideas on what it means to be hand-crafted in a digital age.

Article titles include topics such as Conceptual Art of Handmade Paper in Artists’ Books since the 1970’s, The Art of the Book in India, and Crafting the Shape of Meaning while other articles review work by Ioulia Akhmadeeva, Carolina Caycedo, Lesia Maruschak, Chad Pastotnik, Felicia Rice, and Haein Song.