Assembling: The Art of Translation

The Art of Translation

The participants in this Assembly/Exchange Portfolio are interpreters — artists who are constantly engaged in translating the world around us. In this sense, their role as translators is profound, and explored in this, our fifth portfolio project. Some engage with literal translation from one language to another, some evolve original sources into something entirely distinct, and others take a still broader approach, viewing translation as a kind of transformation. It is a particularly poignant time to encourage translation and its role in our society. This kind of engagement and thoughtful interpretation between languages, materials, and people makes us more curious and compassionate members of society. Our understanding of the world is enriched by viewing it through another’s lens.

As the participants in this portfolio demonstrate, translation is not merely about words but ideas contextualized within cultural constructs. Their design choices contribute to the reading experience and mediate between content, language, materials, and processes, pushing one’s ideas into the realm of metaphor and metamorphosis. They skillfully use materials and techniques to transform texts into poetic objects, creating conceptual environments that embody and expand the reading experience. These stunning and original works invite you to contemplate the art of translation in profound and unexpected ways.

This collection of unique prints and works on paper makes an excellent teaching tool for academic collections and is an outstanding grouping of 25 contemporary prints by well-known and well-collected artists, printers, and publishers of artists’ books associated with The CODEX Foundation. These portfolios are important fundraisers for our organization and your purchase will help support our larger publishing program which includes our book arts journal, monograph series, and exhibition catalogs.