Vita Nuova by Dante Alighieri for Society of Bookbinders International Competition 2019
The Society of Bookbinders Education and Training Conference happened in Bath from 29 to 31 August 2019, and together with it, the International Competition prize giving ceremony and exhibition is happening in conjunction with it.
My entry for this year’s competition did not win a prize, but I am very honoured and happy to be amongst the world’s best bookbinders in the exhibition, and of course, seen by all the delegates that are there for the conference.
For this year’s entry, I was hoping to get nominated for the Animal Free Binding. I attempted materials that I have never used prior to this binding and its marquette. It was quite a challenge trying to understand these two new materials: Tyvek® and mycelium (mushroom) leather, Mylea by Mycotech.
The binding is covered in hand dyed and inkblot printed Tyvek® with foil tooling and hand sewn double core endbands using metallic threads. Mycelium (mushroom) leather onlays of the letter VI in medieval typography, which is reverse reflected to create the title, Vita, while Nuova is tooled in modern typography to represent 'new'. VI represents the 'Lovers' card in the Tarot.
I had various issues with the the Tyvek® which I later found a way to counter it in another book. The mushroom leather, Mylea presented some problems, but it is a very versatile material and can be treated like how an animal skin will behave. It was backed with its growing medium, cork, but can be slowly removed by gently wetting the leather and scraping. It takes gold tooling very beautifully and I love how it has a very natural uneven colour that makes it ever so organic.
I do enjoy using new materials in my work. Exploring the possibilities of materials from the 21st century, making books specific of the era. As what I was once told, explore and try new ways and materials, because that is how new inventions were discovered.