Collaborations: Society of the Four Arts x IS Projects
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Over the last six years, being situated firmly between Palm Beach and Miami-Dade Counties has allowed us to collaborate on some exciting projects with major institutions from the tri-county area. Our relationship with The Society of the Four Arts began in 2019, when the new head curator of visual arts, Rebecca Dunham, reached out to us with an exciting opportunity to collaborate on an upcoming exhibition marking the 350th anniversary of Rembrandt’s death, Rembrandt: The Sign and the Light. In a serendipitous encounter, Rebecca heard an interview with Ingrid air on the radio and immediately reached out to discuss the potential of collaborating on educational displays for the show to illuminate the process behind the exhibited etchings. This marked our first major museum partnership for the studio and gave us the opportunity to deep dive into Remabrandt’s world. For more information on that project, you can visit our special projects page.
When Rebecca reached out with a chance to work together again on a bookbinding exhibition, we jumped at the opportunity. Between Ingrid’s training in traditional bookbinding techniques and the studio’s vested interest in developing artists’ books, this project was another match made in heaven for us print, paper, book nerds. We had all of the equipment needed to demonstrate how books would have been bound in the late 18th century to the mid 19th century after an incredible donation from Harriette Yahr in 2016. Rebecca was also interested to have more virtual friendly content so we produced a video going through the entire process of binding a tight-back, rounded spine, raised cord, full leather, hard cover binding. We spent a good chunk of the COVID shut down diving heavy into exhibition preparation and binding research to be sure the details were as close as possible. For example, did you know there is a difference between rounding and backing a book? Rounding is the process of making the spine of a book round while backing is the process of hammering the rounded spine so the outer signatures will fold over to make an indent where the cover boards will fit. All backed books are rounded but not all rounded books are backed!
The exhibition, titled, In God We Trust: Early Bible Printings and Founding Documents from the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection, features 18 books marking the first of their kind. Whether it be the first Bible printed in America or the first American book of music printed from type, this exhibition showcases some of the most technically impressive book specimens we’ve seen in person. We accompanied the exhibition with educational displays, a process film and handset letterpress playbills for the show.
The show is on view January 30 - February 28, 2021. We invite you to read on for more information on the exhibition and our collaboration.
About the Exhibition
From Society of the Four Arts:
“In God We Trust: Early Bible Printings and Founding Documents from the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection is an extraordinary exhibition of historic American Bibles and religious texts, many of which have rarely been displayed.
The exhibition features 18 books from the Americana Collection of Mr. Rubenstein, a prominent American businessman and philanthropist. Organized by the New-York Historical Society in collaboration with Mr. Rubenstein’s library consultant, In God We Trust presents the stories of these books and the ingenuity and diversity of the early Americans who made them.
Books are among the most important evidence of what citizens of a particular nation find meaningful to them. In the early decades of the American colonies, it was the Bibles and other sacred works printed, sold, and purchased by settlers that were treasured above all. In God We Trust is at once the story of these first American printed books and the tremendous will of the early Americans who produced them. The exhibition’s centerpiece, “The Bay Psalm Book,” was America’s first book, produced by English settlers who brought a printing press across the ocean to be able to print in their new land. In God We Trust is a story of American diversity, with examples of Bibles printed in what is now the U.S. in a variety of languages such as English, German, Hebrew, and Algonquian, reflecting the range of religious denominations present in America from early on. The exhibition also tells the story of unique American traditions, like the use of a Bible for presidents to swear the oath of office on Inauguration Day, and of the nation’s evolution towards greater inclusivity, with the first Bibles printed and translated by women.
Presented in beautiful custom-built display cases, the books are accompanied by rich narratives about their writers, printers, bookbinders, and publishers. Visitors to the exhibition will also enjoy listening to music from one of the books. This is hymn music, recorded by students from Palm Beach Atlantic University’s School of Music & Fine Arts, from the first American book of music printed from type.
The exhibition includes displays about letterpress printing and the art of bookmaking created by IS Projects, a public access printmaking and book arts studio in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.”
About our Collaboration
1. Book Binding Process Display Cases
IS Projects created display cases in the exhibition showcasing the different stages of the binding process: Paper Prep, Sewing, Backing and Finishing. Each display case features various tools, materials and descriptive texts for the audience. The 360 video below offers you an opportunity to virtually preview the exhibition and layout, including our four major display cases. The center of the room displays antique books in glass vitrines with accompanying descriptions.
2. Process Video
Additionally, IS Projects collaborated with videographer, Johnny Zhang, to create a process video showing the entire binding process. The book bound in the video is on display for attendees in the final ‘Finishing’ display case. Below is a short preview of the video on display and a series of stills taken from the film.
3. Handset Letterpress Cards
Lastly, IS Projects created a letterpress playbill with information on the exhibition using handset antique lead type and ornaments from our collection. Attendees are invited to take a playbill (while supplies last) and view the lock-up of type alongside our 5x8" Kelsey Excelsior Model P circa 1965 on display.
Visit the Exhibition
In God We Trust: Early Bible Printings and Founding Documents from the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection will be on display at:
The Society of the Four Arts
East Gallery of the Esther B. O’Keeffe Gallery Building
102 Four Arts Plaza
Palm Beach, FL 33480
November 14, 2020 – January 17, 2021 and January 30 – February 28, 2021.
The gallery is open Monday, Wednesday – Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm and Sunday, 1 to 5 pm.
Tickets are $10; no charge for Four Arts’ members
Purchase or reserve tickets through The Four Arts mobile app, on their website, by calling (561) 655-7226, or visiting The Four Arts’ Box Office.