《书之极》
The codices of the masters

开本：260mm×330mm×32mm
重量：2328g
时间：2020年
客户：江苏凤凰美术出版社

The Codices of the Masters
Size: 260mm × 330mm × 32mm
Weight: 2,328g
Year: 2020
Client: Jiangsu Phoenix Fine Arts Publishing House

对于艺术家手作书，艺术家Stephen Bury这样定义它：“艺术家手作书其实就是书，或者那些经过艺术家们精心揣摩衍生出的以书为最终形态的艺术品。”

What are artist’s books? Stephen Bury defines them as “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.”

《书之极》是中国第一部全面系统介绍艺术家手作书的出版物，并首次对“艺术家手作书”在中文语境中加以定义。本书收录了24本收藏自资深收藏家王骥的艺术家手作书。我们提出了24本书就24个纸上展览的概念。其中包括了达利、亨利·马蒂斯、马克·夏加尔、赵无极、朱德群等现当代艺术大师的手作书。《书之极》里不仅有对这批手制书的详细介绍、艺术家人生的故事简述，还有王骥从收藏家出发，讲述他与手制书的接触和收藏经历。

The Codices of the Masters, is the first publication in China that comprehensively and systematically introduces artist’s books. For the first time, it defines “artist’s books” in the Chinese context. The book presents 24 artist’s books which are part of the collection of Mr. Wang Ji. We proposed the concept of “24 artist’s books are 24 exhibitions,” among which some were made by modern and contemporary art masters including Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Zao Wou-Ki and Chu Teh-Chun. The Codices of the Masters, not only tells the stories of artists and their books, but also tells the collector’s stories about how he accessed and collected these books.

这24本手作书中，12本书影用白色背景拍摄，12本书影用黑色背景拍摄，构建起了清晰的阅读层次。这也使得书籍的天头、地脚、书口呈现出黑白交错的层次美感。书籍中间部分，是深蓝色与橙黄色相互交错的套页关系，24本书影配以艺术家签名，凸显手作书的珍贵。书籍的整体设计从封面的一个白色矩形块开始，然后一直贯穿到每本书的首页，以及附录索引页，犹如24本手作书的剪影，按照等比例进行缩放，前后呼应，简洁有力。

Among the 24 artist’s books, 12 were photographed on a black background and the other 12 were on a white background, which brings a sense of gradation for readers. Meanwhile, it creates an aesthetic combination of layered black and white on the head margin, tail margin and fore edge of the book. The folded binding makes the fore edge a naturally sloped sharp-corner structure, which conveys the concept of ultimate pursuit of masters. The middle part of the book has dark blue leaves interlaced with orange one. The photos of 24 artist’s books were signed by their creators, which highlights the preciousness of these books. The overall design of the book uses a white rectangular block on the cover, and then runs through the inner pages, and ends on the back cover. The design looks like the silhouette of 24 artist’s books, and is scaled in equal proportions. The cover echoes with the back cover, creating a strong and cohesive visual impact.