An unprecedented celebration of the arts, building a truly thrilling partnership by creating a collaboration between some of the country's most inspiringpoets and most exciting book artists, bringing these two communities together, and reaching a larger audience. for both arts. The show pairs ten poets with ten book artists, for which the artists are creating artist's books inspired by the poets' work.

We're thrilled to include beautiful work from the following artists and poets:

Poets: Joy Harjo, Aaron Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Robert Pinsky, Michael Burkard, Ethelbert Miller, Tom Sleigh, Lucie Brock-Broido, Liam Rector and Jason Shinder.

Artists: Buzz Spector, Richard Minsky, Ben Blount, Kerri Cushman, Audrey Niffenegger, Margot Ecke, Shawn Sheehy, Hedi Kyle, Karen Kunc, and Beatrice Coron.

Check the links above for more on each of these amazing participants.

The premiere will host forty pieces, four from each artist, one to two of which will be inspired by the poets' work, and two additional artist books of the artists' selection. Letter-pressed broadsides of each of the inspiration poems will also be included in the exhibit.

This collaboration exemplifies the beautiful risk and celebration of life found in both art and poetry, a truly exciting coming together of two artistic communities who share a mutual love: the love of the book.

The curators want to thank everyone who has supported this beautiful journey, including the administration of Longwood University. Special thanks to Dr. Charles Ross, Dean of the Cook-Cole College of Arts & Sciences, and to Dr. Anthony Koyzis, Dean of Graduate & Extended Studies, at Longwood, for their vision and recognition of the honor and value of the arts, and for their continuing support of Longwood's growing arts community.

Art by Beatrice Coron: inspired by Joy Harjo's "Evening Song"

What is an Artist's Book?

Artists' books are books or book-like objects over the final appearance of which an artist has had a high degree of control; where the book is intended as a work of art in itself. Stephen Bury

Artists' books are works of art realized in the form of a book. They are often published in small editions, though sometimes they are produced as one-of-a-kind objects referred to as "uniques". Artists' books have employed a wide range of forms, including scrolls, fold-outs, concertinas or loose items contained in a box as well as bound printed sheet. Artists have been active in printing and book production for centuries, but the artist's book is primarily a late 20th century form.