Welcome! This research guide offers an introduction to the artists' book and zine collection at the Frick Fine Arts Library, including information on how to use the collection and where to find additional resources on artists' books.
Selections from the collection: Mud Book. John Cage and Lois Long (1983)
Selections from the collection: Mud Book. John Cage and Lois Long (1983)
Selections from the collection: Mud Book. John Cage and Lois Long (1983)
Selections from the collection: Mud Book. John Cage and Lois Long (1983)
Selections from the collection: Mud Book. John Cage and Lois Long (1983)
Selections from the collection: La Playa de los Juguetes Peridos. Alfredo Blásquez (2021)
Selections from the collection: La Playa de los Juguetes Peridos. Alfredo Blásquez (2021)
Selections from the collection: La Playa de los Juguetes Peridos. Alfredo Blásquez (2021)
Selections from the collection: It Is a Winning Cake: 52 Cakes. Hugo Rocci (2021)
Selections from the collection: It Is a Winning Cake: 52 Cakes. Hugo Rocci (2021)
Selections from the collection: It Is a Winning Cake: 52 Cakes. Hugo Rocci (2021)
Selections from the collection: Where We Are Now. Kyung Eun You (2019)
Selections from the collection: Where We Are Now. Kyung Eun You (2019)
Selections from the collection: Lovers. Anyelmaidelín Calzadilla (2017)
Selections from the collection: Lovers. Anyelmaidelín Calzadilla (2017)
The Henry Clay Frick Fine Arts Library is home to a robust collection of artists’ books and zines. It encompasses a wide range of art works by local, regional, and international artists, art collectives, and independent presses. The collection spans the early 1960s through to the present day. In recent years, we have increased our focus on collecting locally-produced artists’ books and zines.
The Frick Fine Arts Library is devoted to the study of images, objects, and texts in all their material forms, and our artists' book and zine collection is an integral part of this work. As art works that are designed to be touched, read, and manipulated, artists' books offer unique opportunities for experiential research and learning.
Ours is a teaching collection—we offer class visits and individual appointments to students, faculty, and the public who wish to experience the books in-person and find inspiration for their own book-based art projects or research.
We encourage multiple approaches to research, from the meandering search to the targeted study. With this in mind, we aim to create multiple points of entry to the collection and the world of artists' books and zines more broadly.
You can digitally browse the collection through the Explore the Collection section of this guide.
Our zine library is on permanent display in the browsing room of the Fine Arts Library. You are welcome to visit and leaf through the zines during our regular open hours.
To schedule an in-person session exploring the artists' book collection for your class or yourself, please contact us at uls-fineartslibrary@mail.pitt.edu.
