In Flight

Artists' Books, Fine Bindings, and Broadsides

May 10, 2005 – July 17, 2005

"In Flight," an exhibition that celebrates the 2003 centennial of the Wright brothers' first flight, will be presented by the Guild of Book Workers, one of the oldest book craft societies in continuous operation in the country.

This exhibition brings together art and the written word in finely crafted book works that feature texts related to the theme of flight. The texts include historical writings as well as tributes to World War II pilots, women aviators and pioneers of flight.

The book works reveal a variety of printing techniques, from hand lettering and calligraphy to letterpress printing and computer-generated typography. In each work, the text is combined with fine illustrations created by painting, photography, collage and other techniques.

The 51 book works in the exhibition were created by members of the Guild of Book Workers, who are skilled in leather binding, fine printing, calligraphy and the creation of artists' books. The items featured in the exhibition were selected by a jury from more than 100 submissions.

"In Flight" has traveled to various cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver and Seattle. The Ransom Center Galleries hosts the final showing of the exhibition.

Founded in New York in 1906 by a group of 40 book workers, the goal of Guild of Book Workers has been to keep its crafts alive through exhibitions. There are nearly 1,000 members nationwide and 10 regional chapters, including a Lone Star Chapter.