This exhibition represents the work of the University of Miami art history students enrolled in ARH 530: Art and Travel (the European Vision of the New World) (Spring 2011). Working closely with Associate Art History Professor Rebecca Brienen, Angelica Bradley, Nicole Bennett, and Sara Armas came up with the idea for an exhibition that would be historical in scope but contemporary in terms of the visual materials used. The artists’ books highlighted here all address 1492 but from the perspective of 500 years later. Special Collections at the Richter library has an important collection of artists’ books and we are pleased to bring these works to the attention of others.
This project was initially developed as the result of Dr. Brienen’s participation in an Information and Technology Faculty Learning Community at the University of Miami in 2009, which was facilitated by Dr. Scotney Evans. In producing this website, we have been helped by many people, both at and beyond the University of Miami. In particular we have relied on the staff, librarians, and administrators at the Richter Library at the University of Miami, who have never failed in their support for this project! We thank Director of Special Collections, Cristina Favretto, for her unfailing enthusiasm and support. The staff at Special Collections has also been extremely helpful, and we are grateful to all of them. With respect to the technical aspects of the project, we have been supported by the highly capable staff of Anthony Smith, Director of Digital Initiatives and Services; special mention must be made of Bryanna Herzog, Manager of the Digital Media Lab, whose expertise has also made this web exhibition possible.
Sara Armas and Angelica Bradley are responsible for the design of the exhibition, but Sara has been the key player in all areas of web-based technology and photography. We are very happy that she was a member of the exhibition team!
In addition, we would like to express our thanks to Robert Tauber (Logan Elm Press) and Anthony Rice (Ringling School of Art) for their enthusiastic support of the project. Mr. Tauber was unfailingly helpful and answered many of our questions about producing artist’s books and the genesis of the Letter of Columbus.
Image courtesy of Special Collections the the University of Miami Richter Library