This semester I have been parsing with my Spanish classes the definition of popular culture. We began with Google and ChatGPT definitions because that’s where students would usually start. They found that while culture is generally defined as being made up of both surface culture (including foods, traditions, and customs) and deep culture (values, world vision, and basic beliefs), these definitions are also constantly being reconstructed and reevaluated due to differences in actual practice. We discussed different scales of culture from the universal to the individual. As we went through this process, it became evident that there were not only different meanings to culture, but that there were also different levels of culture. These include culture with a capital “C,” Traditional culture, as well as Popular culture. This tripartite separation, while still a simplification, represented a beginning point for my students to understand and further explore the meaning, relevance, and creation of culture.
As I reflected upon this with my students, the question of the culture of the artist book has come to my mind as one that deserves consideration. I know there are multiple voices and opinions beyond my own that have already considered these questions, and so I am appealing to you with your capabilities to help develop this concept of the culture of the artist book:
What makes up the culture of the artist book?
Is there a range of different scales? Universal, national, subcultural?
Do these represent different levels of culture? High artist book culture, popular culture, traditional culture?
Is there an artist book counter culture that goes against all other cultures?
Peter J. Tanner (He, Él, Ele) is Associate Instructor of Spanish at the University of Utah and Editor of Openings: Studies in Book Art, the journal of the College Book Art Association. His research focuses on artist books from Latin America.
