Artist Books, Suites, and Portfolios
Portfolios, suites, and artist books represent a fascinating branch of printmaking, unified by the idea that the artist conceives a group of works to be seen and preserved together. Unlike single, stand-alone prints, these ensembles invite the viewer into a more layered and sustained experience of the artist’s vision. A portfolio may gather a series of images around a particular subject, narrative, or stylistic approach, creating a dialogue between individual prints that deepens their meaning when viewed as a whole. In this way, the collection becomes more than the sum of its parts, offering insight into the artist’s working process and the evolution of ideas across multiple images.
Artist books, meanwhile, occupy a unique space at the intersection of literature, design, and visual art. Some embrace the familiar format of a book illustrated with original prints, offering the intimate, page-by-page encounter between reader and artist. Others challenge the very definition of a book, taking on sculptural or constructed forms that unfold, expand, or transform in the viewer’s hands. In these works, the act of turning a page or opening a fold becomes a performative experience, engaging the senses in ways that traditional books cannot.
Suites of prints can also bring together multiple artists around a shared theme, creating a collaborative dialogue across different voices and approaches. Such projects highlight the richness of printmaking as a medium that thrives on variation and exchange. Whether created by one hand or many, portfolios and artist books remind us that prints need not be isolated images—they can be orchestrated into sequences, narratives, or objects that challenge expectations and expand the boundaries of the medium. At their best, they invite viewers to slow down, to look closely, and to discover meaning in the interplay of image, format, and concept.
By: Seiko Tachibana
Medium: artist book with 14 intaglio Prints, Accordion fold in Hardcover
Edition: signed, dated, and numbered edition of 15
size: 11x7 inches
Year: 2010
Images exploring the five basic elements in Asian tradition--earth, air, fire, water, metal (or void).