The artist book has become firmly established within the art world and Goldstein believes this is solely down to the artist Dieter Roth. ' Originally a writer, Roth created books as a means to publish his work, using cheap materials and print making techniques developed from his training as an advertiser.
Roth's innovative approach to book design began in the 1950s, when he decided to break traditional characteristics of book design and proposed the book doesn't require 'like minded communities of things' such as binding, a sequence, text or even image. This gave Roth a huge amount of freedom to explore experimental boundaries as he wasn't being restricted by commercial constraints and client desire.
Instead, he proposed three kinds of book that highlight his extensive practice; Non verbal (strictly visual), text (just text) and 'hybrids', a combination of the two, which demonstrates Roth's awareness of the book format to serve a variety of functions.
What makes Roth such an influential part of the rise of the artist book was the fact that he challenged common trade in the art market. Instead of creating singular pieces of art, Roth's practice encouraged editions, multiples and prints. For Roth, the multiple allowed him to make a living from his love of books as he was able to send them out into the world, taking advantage of the printed format to gain exposure and a broader audience. This was unique to the role of the artist in a traditional sense.
However the concept of reproductions can be challenged by the philosopher Walter Benjamin as he believes once an original work of art has been reproduced, it loses its authenticity; 'even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: Its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be.' Benjamin suggests the presence of the original is authenticity, however once that has been reproduced, its originality and uniqueness is lost.
This suggests that the reproduction of works of art in modern times causes the loss of aura and authenticity in the aesthetic experience.
aura has disappeared in the modern age because art has become reproducible.
Whilst Benjamin's views on reproduction are valid within art, Roth's experience within commercial design influenced him otherwise. When working on a project for the Daily Mirror, he states 'Power = Quantity' as he realised that the success of magazines and newspapers wasn't conveying the news or information, but rather selling as many copies as they could. This formal training as an advertiser, combined with the medium of the book as
Roth adopted this approach
Benjamin's premise of authenticity should not be compared to objects wavering between art and design reproduction. The book should be reproduced in order to fulfil its purpose of being experienced by an audience, rather than displayed in an exhibition context. Whilst Roth works primarily within art, his expansive practice pushed him beyond working for a gallery/exhibition context into areas of independent publishing.
At the end of the day, books are made to be used so they don't belong in a gallery behind glass, they belong in the real world. Roth challenges
The fine line between art and design.
Comments on the reproduction of artist book - Goes against Benjamin's comments on aura being lost once it has been reproduced:
'For Roth, the multiples were also a way to live, since he was able to send these objects out into the world and survive off of them—which for an artist is the endgame, to be able to make a living off what you love. He didn't necessarily have to work through a gallery or a dealer, and his work would be disseminated much wider than just Cologne or Dusseldorf, opening his work to a much broader audience. It gave him a great deal of freedom.'
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