Artistree Gallery in South Pomfret, Vermont, is hosting "Unbound Vol. XIV," an annual exhibition of book art coinciding with the Bookstock literary festival. The show features works by artists including Andre Lee Bassuet, Carole McNamee, Larry Clifford, and Dorsey Hogg, who transform discarded books into sculptures, quilts, and wearable pieces. Notable works include Bassuet's "A Thin Veil," a shawl made from pages of Soviet writer Ilia Ehrenburg's collected works, and "Women in the Field," a cyanotype cloak honoring pioneering women naturalists.
The exhibition matters because it demonstrates how visual art can reanimate printed language, turning obsolete books into objects of beauty and social commentary. In an era of digital media, "Unbound" underscores the enduring physical and conceptual power of books, while also addressing contemporary issues through works like McNamee's "The Dot Community," which references Martin Niemoller's poem about complicity. The show highlights the creative potential of library discards and the intersection of literature, history, and visual art.