Vamp and Tramp Interview

Posted by Kiki Anderson Jan 14, 2009

The Vamp & Tramp story is another inspiring example, and reminds me a bit of UPPERCASE. Both are small companies dealing in artists' books, which they LOVE. That's the great part. These people are working hard at their passion.

Vicky Stewart was heading out for a six-week tour when she granted me an interview. But she seemed so calm and cool, with gracious Southern manners. We talked for a while. She spends a lot of time talking to people all over the country about her collection, so she was easy to interview.

Here she discusses the growing interest in artists' books in the special collections department of libraries:

We think that more special collections in universities are actually adding artists' books to their collections. They don't necessarily have an artist's book collection, but they will buy artists' books to supplement an existing genre collection.

Women's issues, for example, is a very explosive subject. Those collections buy a lot of structural books. If you look at Miriam Schaer's work, you'll see she uses clothing that she molds and then she'll have a book within it, like a bustier, a strapless bra that goes from the waist up. She'll split that down the middle and then on the inside of that will be a book. And it will have something to do with how women are treated, whether it's abuse, or relationships, the opposite sex, it could be anything.

So artists' books present a rounded view of a subject matter. Interesting.