The Book as Art

Walter Feldman’s made a pivotal shift in 1985 toward the creation of handmade artists’ books, a transition that redefined the arc of his career. After more than twenty years at Brown University, Feldman established Ziggurat Press—followed by Brown/Ziggurat Press in 1990—where he conceptualized books as unified works of art. His practice integrated image, text, structure, and typography into objects that challenge traditional distinctions between visual art and the book form.

Two major themes shaped Feldman’s approach: collaborative works developed with poets, and introspective volumes that address central concerns of his artistic life—World War II, Jewish identity, memory, and an exploration of typography and mark making. His contributions to the field were recognized in 1993 with his appointment as John Hay Professor of Bibliography, and his influence endures through the Walter Feldman Book Arts Studio at the John Hay Library, founded in 2005.

Feldman’s artists’ books have been shown widely and are included in significant public collections such as Harvard Library, Boston Public Library, New York Public Library, the Library of Congress, Wellesley College, and Brown University, among others. This presentation situates Feldman’s art books within the broader history of postwar American art and the development of contemporary book arts.