Department of English

An introduction to letterpress printing and bookmaking and writing for the artist book, focusing on the history of the artist book, competence in letterpress technique, print composition and design skills, and alternative book binding. Course readings will focus on the work Johanna Drucker and Jerome Rothenberg, and the examination of multi-media works. Field trips to local artist book collections will supplement course reading, projects, and the final project. The entire class will be taught, and practiced, through the lens of "the grotesque" in art and literature. As a final project, each student will make their own limited-edition artist book that considers the course theme of the "grotesque" through writing, image, printing and binding. Students who wish to take the course should send a brief description of their interest in it, and any relevant background experience they might have, to Erin Gautsche at gautsche@writing.upenn.edu .