GRAPHIC, COLLECTIVE, CLASSIC, MAGIC, DIGITAL, MULTIPLE, UNIQUE

The book is an attractive medium for artists. Some design and create their work from beginning to end themselves; others work closely with writers, graphic designers, typographers, editors and printers. While some are rare or limited editions, a book can also be cheap and commonplace looking. Whether inventive or traditional, it is always pleasing to the eye. In the early twentieth century, Francis Picabia said that: “the most beautiful book would be one which could not be considered a book”. Far from dying out, this passion now seems to burn more brightly than ever among new generations of artists. In the face of dematerialised Internet pages, engaging with books increasingly gains in importance for artists and readers. Through images, page layouts and diverse approaches, books cry out to be opened, flipped through, read, consulted, touched and possessed.

Atelier XJC • Balthus • Bouvier Ausländer • Brass • Breton • Broomberg+Chanarin • Cendrars • Chan • Christofis/Yannopoulos • Cortright • Dine • Dubach • Duchamp • ECAL • Eluard • Ernst • Frank • Gavillet & Rust • Gris • Hatje • Kandinsky • KING ZOG • Klein • Kodoji • Kokoschka • Kruithof • Léger • LEWITT • Maeght • Marinetti • Man Ray • Matisse • Matta • Mattioli • Miro • Noyau • Perrin • Picabia • Picasso • JRP Ringier • ROTH • Ruscha • Safirstein • Santoro • Scherrer • Schmid • Schwitters • SHAYKIN • Skira • Slatkine • SMITH • Steidl • Teriade • Tzara • WassinkLundgren

The Fine Arts Museums of Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds are joining forces to mark the L’art se livre and Blaise Cendrars au coeur des arts exhibitions : a reduced price is available on presentation of a ticket from the partner museum.

Acknowledgements : Payot Libraire et Bibliothèque des Jeunes, Le Locle.

Top image : Anouk Kruithof, Enclosed content chatting away in the colour invisibility, 2009. Courtesy of BoetzelaerINispen Gallery, Amsterdam.

Photographies : Pierre Bohrer.