THE EXHIBITION OF VILNIUS BOOKBINDERS GUILD “BOOKBINDERS BOOKS”

With the concern to bibliophilic artistic bindings, the central axis of the creation is the text (most often classical literature or important cultural topics), while the design of a cover is moderately matched to the essence or emotion of the text, thus intensifying or complementing the artistic impact on the one hand, and accomplishing a protective function on the other. In regard to experimental bindings, the process is focussed largely on specific features and constructive diversity inherited from the history of the craft. When creating authors’ books-objects the following factors are of great importance: conceptual thinking over the function, vigour and meaning of a book in a person’s cultural life or that of a society; the scope and potentiality of non-traditional forms and materials that resound with the bookbinder’s artistic expression, ideas and spiritual experiences.

Not only samples of ancient bindings but also the craft of bookbinding is part of the cultural heritage that is to be preserved. Knowledge is necessary when restoring books. In order to develop skills and ascertain forgotten technologies, to restore the form integrity of objects and verify functional possibilities, or to employ them as methodological issues in education activities, the guild masters also carry out reconstructions and replicas of bindings of historical books. Actually, such skills are indispensable in the artistic bookbinding, too.