May 26 – May 30, 2027

Save the date for an extra long weekend acknowledging and amplifying the book as a work of art. The event will take place in May of 2027 across the Washington DC area. Co-curators Stephanie Stillo (Chief of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division of the Library of Congress) and Inge Bruggeman (Executive Director of the CODEX Foundation) invite you to a special event organized in partnership with several other institutions such as: George Mason University, Georgetown University, and more. There will be exhibitions, a symposium, lectures, receptions, and other programming surrounding these highlights:

CODEX as Catalyst Exhibit I:
From the Collections of Mary Austin, Duke Collier, and Dan Logan
This exhibition will be made up of pairings of works from three individual collectors, creating dynamic conversations between contemporary artists’ books, fine press books, and historic works that feature stunning examples of the book as a work of art. This exhibit and the opening event reception will be held at the Mason Exhibitions Arlington and hosted by Stephanie Grimm (Art Exhibitions Librarian and Book Arts Curator), Lynn Eaton (Director), and Mieko Palazzo (Research Services Librarian), along with Donald Russell (Curator Director, Mason Exhibitions & Provisions Library for Art & Social Change at George Mason University).

CODEX as Catalyst Exhibit II:
Works from the Library of Congress
Pairings from this collection, in particular, will illustrate how the book as a work of art appears throughout art history and how historic examples inspire contemporary artists and publishers working in the field today. Exhibits, a symposium, and a reception will be hosted by Stephanie Stillo from the Library of Congress.

CODEX as Catalyst Exhibit III:
Georgetown University Booth Family Center for Special Collections
This exhibition will be made up of pairings of works from the Georgetown University Library’s Special Collections. These pairings create dynamic conversations between contemporary artists’ books, fine press books, and historic works within the book arts field. The exhibition and reception will be hosted by Jay Sylvestre (Curator of Rare Books) and LuLen Walker (Art Curator, Booth Family Center for Special Collections).