Published following a performative talk given by artist and designer Paul Soulellis during the 2021 Contemporary Artist’s book Conference, hosted by the Center for Book arts during the 2021 Printed Matter Virtual Art Book Fair.

“As the scale of participation in and range of approaches to artist’s books and publishing have blossomed in recent years, now is a key time to develop new critical tools for assessing artists’ books and their broader impact on the cultural and artistic practice. Artist’s book criticism in the 21st century must contend not only with the book as an artistic medium but also art books’ engagement with a range of cultural histories and publishing traditions.”

— Center of Book Arts