Two artistic mediums -- visual art and poetry -- appear in separate but integrated exhibitions that open Friday at the Lewis-Clark State College Center for Arts & History.
Idaho Booker’s Dozen, a biannual juried show that travels to multiple venues throughout the state, features one-of-a-kind objects or small editions of artists’ books. Black & White & Read combines black-and-white photography of women with poetry created from the photograph. It is the work of 16 photographers and 15 poets, all from the Pacific Northwest.
The center took the opportunity to combine these two smaller exhibitions, connected only through their use of both the written word and visual art, said Kelsey Grafton, exhibit and program coordinator.
The Black & White & Read exhibition features photographs, though not all are framed in a traditional sense. One piece hangs from its frame, while another appears in a three-dimensional object. The paired poems will be displayed nearby.
Most of the books featured in Idaho Booker’s Dozen don’t resemble the form typically found on a bookshelf. They rely on various materials -- handmade paper, fabric, maps, tassels, even wood -- for their structure and while some have pages, others are presented in unbound form. They pick up equally dissimilar themes, including from history, travel, immigration and childhood memories.
Nearly half of the artists represented are from Idaho, while the others are national or international book artists. After the exhibition at the center in downtown Lewiston, Idaho Booker’s Dozen opens Feb. 4 at Third Street Gallery in Moscow and runs through March 15. If you go:
WHAT: Idaho Booker’s Dozen and Black & White & Read Exhibition opening WHEN: 5 p.m. Friday; exhibitions run 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday through Jan. 30 WHERE: LCSC Center for Arts & History, 415 Main St. in Lewiston COST: Free
