It's Fine Press Friday!
Our fine press book this week is MASKS around the world by John Ross (1921-2017). Ross was an esteemed and prolific printmaker as well as a teacher, SAGA president, and recipient of numerous accolades and awards including five MacDowell Colony Fellowships between 1977-1983. In 1991 he created The High Tide Press with wife Clare Romano and went on to produce 19 volumes of his own artist books, including MASKS around the world.
Ross is credited with helping to develop collagraph plates, a type of printing plate created through collaging materials to a rigid substrate. The collagraphs used to print MASKS around the world were made in Venice, Italy in the summer of 1998. They were created of mat board, fabric, sand and carborundom grits glued together with acrylic polymer gesso. One plate is included with each of the 15 copies of the book. Four of the masks within the book utilize pop up elements to add dimension and whimsy to the depictions and an introduction by Miriam Schapiro reminds readers of the inspiration and power inherent in mask wearing.
The binding of the book was done by James DiMarcantonio of Hope Bindery in Providence, Rhode Island and features a delightful resin casting. Perhaps unsurprisingly to regular readers, MASKS around the world is from our dear friend Dennis Bayuzick’s extraordinary collection of fine press publications. Special Collections holds number 14 of this limited edition which is signed by the artist.
The collagraph plates included with our book were used to print the Wasp Mask of the KW AKIUTL from the Northwest Coast of America.
View other books from the collection of Dennis Bayuzick.
View more Fine Press Friday Posts.
– Jenna, Special Collections Graduate Intern