Hecho a Mano: Book Arts of Latin America
On exhibit July 14 extended through October 12, 2008
Melba Remig Saltarelli Exhibit Room, Wilson Library
Free and open to the public
Exhibit information: 919-962-1143 or rbcref@email.unc.edu
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
View items from the exhibit
Nearly 100 handmade books from Cuba, Mexico, and Argentina will be on exhibit at UNC's Wilson Library July 14 through Oct. 12.
Hecho a Mano: Book Arts of Latin America will showcase recent acquisitions of UNC's library. ("Hecho a mano" means "made by hand.")
The exhibit will include books made by three collectives that provide training and a livelihood for their members:
- Taller Leñateros ("Woodlanders' Workshop"), in San Cristobal de las Casas, in Chiapas, Mexico. Mexican poet Ambar Past founded the collective in 1975 after she became interested in preserving the Mayan language Tzotzil that she was learning from local women.
- Ediciones Vigía in Matanzas, Cuba, which produces elaborate and artistic books with craft and copier paper, crayons, and items donated by international visitors.
- Eloisa Cartonera in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The collective purchases cardboard from "cartoneros," or cardboard scavengers, and transforms it into brightly painted covers for modest editions of books.
Also on view will be fine press artists' books from Mexico and Argentina, along with works by Argentine graphic artist and poet Ral Veroni, and by Mexican print maker and artist Artemio Rodríguez.
The exhibit is the work of librarian Teresa Chapa, Latin American and Iberian resources bibliographer, who spotted the books on her travels in the region and began building UNC's collection. Chapa says that it is unusual for an American research library to acquire the productions of independent bookmaking collectives along with the fine press items of the region. The exhibit will include Chapa's photographs of the Taller Leñateros, Ediciones Vigia, and Eloisa Cartonera workshops.
The Hecho a Mano exhibit is free and open to the public. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 pm. weekdays. For hours and direction, contact the Rare Book Collection (919-962-1143). To learn more about the collection, contact Teresa Chapa (919-962-3948).
Related Links
- Preview selected items from the exhibit
- News release (UNC News Services)
- Taller Leñateros Web site
- Eloisa Cartonera Web site (Spanish only)
- "The Poetic Hearts of Mayan Women Writ Large" (New York Times article about Taller Leñateros, May 11, 2005)
- "Handmade Books from Cuba" (Chronicle of Higher Education article about Ediciones Vigia, Jan. 11, 2002)
- Resources about artists' books (from the Sloane Art Library at UNC)
