What is an Artist's Book

To me an artists book is a book created by an artist, the format can vary greatly, they push the boundaries of what a 'book' is. They meld text and imagery together. The work is original. A collectors piece.

I wouldn't consider a book that is bound up so it couldn't be opened to be an artist's book. For me personally, I believed that the text and imagery played a large part in what it was. Whether that was displayed in bizarre and different ways, it still needs to be depictable.

Aussie artist Imants Tillers work of individual panels containing image and text to be viewed on the wall or stacked in sequential order..... this I would consider to fall within the artist's book realm. Even though the format is not traditional (pages within a book), it still adheres to the fundamental elements of text and imagery to construct its existence... whether they are displayed on wall or stacked together on a table top.

A portfolio of prints on the same topic presented in a box..... I would not call this an artists book...as it lacks the vital text. To me this would just be art. I think if text were somehow incorporated into the overall work.... then it would qualify. But as it does not.... then it it isn't an artist's book.