A library collection of 82 artists’ books by invited artists from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden gives a unique insight into the practice of making books in this part of the world at this moment (2019). The books, housed in a hand built box, are all A6 size (14,8 x 10,5cm) with a maximum width of 2cm. Each of the invited artists contributed with an edition of 11 books, produced specially for this project. The library has been made in an edition of 10, with the 11th book being exchanged between all the artists. The project is both a collection and a book work in its own right, existing as set of explorations in a box, instead of a codex form.

The A6 book formats range from concertina, pamphlet, multiple section hand stitched, Japanese stab bound, hard and soft bound, map folds and several unique constructions.The works incorporate a variety of techniques such as screen print, Riso, etching, relief, woodcut, linocut, lithograph, digital, drawing, painting and collage. Materials include paper, card, cloth, wood, plastic, metal and leather.There is also a comprehensive catalogue of the works and a letterpress printed poster, alongside a collection of critical writings about artists’ books from this geographical region in each library.These writings are produced as A6 pamphlets and will be added to, as a continuation of the project.

Bibliotek Nordica is a Codex Polaris production coordinated by Imi Maufe in collaboration with Megan Adie and Bent Kvisgaard. It was created for the international Nordic focus at the Codex Book Fair and Seminar in the San Francisco Bay Area, USA in February 2019 and was also launched at the Codex Fair, since then it has been shown at Malmö Kunsthall and Göteberg Biennale, Sweden; Frankfurt Book Fair, Germany, and Bristol Artists Book Event, UK, and with future exhibitions at Kristiansand Kunsthall, Norway; Iceland’s National Bibliotek, Reykjavik; Risk(U), Stockholm; and Small Publisher’s Fair, London (all 2021).

Behind Bibliotek Nordica
Imi Maufe (UK / NO) is a visual artist with a MA in Multi–disciplinary Printmaking from the University of the West of England, Bristol, 2004. Imi works with collaborative and solo projects that often include book arts, far fl ung residencies and inititates projects for Codex Polaris. Her work is found in collections including the Tate Library Collection, British Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, Bavarian State Library and Yale Center for British Arts. www.imimaufe.com

Aviary Press is the imprint under which Megan Adie (USA / DK) publishes artist books, prints and ephemera. Established in Santa Barbara in 2000, Aviary Press publications can be found in public, university and private collections including the Danish Royal Library, Oxford University, Leipzig National Library, New York Public Library, and Stanford University. Megan is the founder of Edition/Basel, Switzerland, and is also principal bassist with Concerto Copenhagen. www.meganadie.com

OFFICINA typographica KVISGAARDENSIS in Viborg, Denmark was established in 1980 as a non-commercial private printing offi ce and museum by Bent Kvisgaard. He qualifi ed as a typesetter in 1968 followed by qualifi cation as a master printer and worked at newspapers, publishers, advertising agencies and printing offi ces. Bent owns a comprehensive collection of lead and wooden type to keep the fascination of typography and letterpress alive today! www.kvisgaardensis.dk

Bibliotek Nordica was assembled at Vingaards Officin Book Printing Museum, with the help of VO members, CC Tryk (printers), Morten Jørgensen (carpenter), and Bruunshaab Cardboard and Box Museum, all in Viborg, Denmark.Thanks to Katarzyna Roman for graphic design input.