The CODEX International Artist Book Fair
February 2024
The CODEX International Artist Book Fair will take place in a new location, the Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, California.
Dobbin Mill / Dobbin Books will have new artist books, so if you will be attending CODEX or in the area, please come visit us at table #117.
Address:
Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center
10 10th Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Fair Hours:
Sunday, February 4, 2024:12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, February 5, 2024: 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 6, 2024: 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 7, 2024: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Exhibition at Galerie Druck & Buch
October 7 - 30, 2023
Book Review in Blog
October 20, 2023
Art historian Viola Hildebrand-Schat recently wrote “Material- und Raumwirklichkeiten im Künstlerbuch”, on the Herzog August Bibliothek blog, https://www.hab.de/material-und-raumwirklichkeiten-im-kuenstlerbuch/?fbclid=IwAR3uZtmubnRt0f6eVavMYWLT5JZpnPPP00J3lbN_gNP3JY75qUdhKfOviEQ
The article is a thoughtful discussion of my artist book Rondo, which is in their collection.
Book Review in Der Rote Faden
Fall 2023
I just received Der Rote Faden: Kunstlerbucher der Herzog August Bibliothek. A short article on Rondo, which is in their collection, is included, titled “Robbin Ami Silverberg: Rondo”, pp.32 -33, and written by Susanne Padberg. Edited by Peter Burschen, Sarah Janke, & Alexandra Serjogin, Wolfenbuttel. Many thanks!
Book Review in Imprimatur
Summer 2023
I received in the mail the German bibliophile book, Imprimatur 2023, NF X XVIII Ein Jahrbuch für Bücherfreunde. A beautifully illustrated review of my artist book, “Just 30 Words” written by Viola Hildebrand-Schat is included -- very exciting! I have several extra copies of the article that Viola sent to me, if anyone is interested, please get in touch.
Artist Talk at Galerie Druck & Buch
June 22nd, 7pm
During the exhibition, MAPPING, presently in the gallery, I will give a talk via ZOOM about my most recent book, "Simulacrum (or Mapping)", about the (brutal) subjectivity of borders while discovering maps of Ukraine through the centuries.
Dobbin Books at the Fine Press Book Fair
April, 2023
Dobbin Books will participate in the 9th Manhattan Fine Press Book Fair. We will be presenting our latest artist books, including the book launch for RE—Tale of Two Cities and Simulacrum (or Mapping).
One day only: April 29th, 10am - 5pm. 869 Lexington Avenue in the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer at 66th St. https://fpba.com/fpbaa-events/manhattan-book-fair/
Exhibition at the Jack Ginsberg Centre for Book Arts, Johannesburg
November, 2022
This Fall, the Jack Ginsberg Centre for Book Arts at the Wits Museum, Johannesburg will have a 3-person exhibition called, Creative Research: The Artist's Books of Julie Chen, Veronika Schäpers & Robbin Ami Silverberg.
The show will present 100 books by these artists that are in the collection. An evening with the artists will take place on October 26th, with lectures, demos & workshops over that week at Artist Proof Studio, University of Johannesburg and Wits University.
Artist Talk at Galerie Druck & Buch
June 23, 2022
Susanne Padberg, director of Galerie Druck & Buch extended an invitation to speak in the gallery on a particular artist book. As she wrote in her E-vite:
“Robbin Silverberg is known for her equally conceptual and sensual artist books - making her own papers is usually part of her books. But here now is a textile book, Living with Tassels & Trim!”
Berggasse 21/2, Vienna, Austria
(Next to the Freud-House)
The CODEX International Artist Book Fair
April, 2022
The CODEX International Artist Book Fair will take place at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, California, April 10 - 13, 2022!
Dobbin Mill / Dobbin Books will have new artist books, so if you will be attending CODEX or in the area, please come visit us at table #129.
Address: Craneway Pavilion, 1414 Harbour Way South, Richmond, CA 94804
Pratt Institute Library, Brooklyn: Pratt Faculty Makes Books!
Febuary, 2022
Pratt Libraries is devoting its Winter 2022 exhibition to the diverse artist books made by Pratt faculty where it is a significant part of their artistic practice. As coordinator for this upcoming exhibition, I reached out to instructors in a range of departments, who are increasingly working in this exciting field, whether focusing on books' conceptual or material basis.
The exhibition will be at the Brooklyn campus library from February 7 - April 7, 2021
Materialla Lumina catalog & exhibition
Materialia Lumina catalog & exhibition
January, 2022
I just received the news that the Materialia Lumina catalog has been published. Published in conjunction with the Stanford University Library, Palo Alto, CA: Materialia Lumina, the CODEX 75, this comprehensive book looks at 75 contemporary artists' books that a crew of critics, librarians & art historians have classified as Gesamtwerk, that integrate concept, material, and technique. My artist book Rondo was included, with a text written by Materialia Lumina’s editor, Paul van Capelleveen.
Book included in video series, Artist’s Books Unshelved
September, 2021
Artist’s Books Unshelved is a video series exploring selected pieces from the Cynthia Sears Artist’s Books Collection at the Bainbridge Art Museum, Bainbridge Island, Washington. The episode, launching in late September/early October, called Body Chronology, will feature myself & one of my artist books, About Pearl.
Read Me. Like a Book. Exhibition Review in Hand Papermaking Magazine
January 2021
A wonderful exhibition review of Read Me. Like a Book., written by Dieu Donné’s founding director, Susan Gosin, just came out in the Winter 2020 issue of Hand Papermaking!
Although the fair is over, you can still visit my virtual table at the Printed Matter Virtual Artist Book Fair and see a selection of Dobbin Books. A virtual fair is an opportunity to expand the medium for more experimental work that push the boundaries of the field, along with new presentations of analog objects.
This year, my virtual table at the Printed Matter Virtual Artist Book Fair included a virtual POSTING WALL. In this time of COVID, as we are more isolated and confined to our individual spaces, the need for exchange & public space has become even more essential. POSTING WALL gave back the public arena, letting people expand out of their spaces to a public sphere.
Viewers to our page were invited to contribute content drawn or written, -- reflections on books, reading, & thinking. I’d like to extend this invitation to you to include a posting: Image / text / video (with a YouTube link) / whatever. Any language, of course.
Many thanks in advance for your time & consideration!
Show ’n Tell @ Dobbin Books with the Center for Book Arts, NYC
December 18, 2020
Participants of this show 'n tell were invited into my world at Dobbin Mews, where I have my artist book studio and paper mill. I presented a selection of my artist books that highlight paper as activated substrate & discussed the techniques I used to make them. A fun mix of talk, short videos and discussion.
Papermaking Panel
November 20, 2020
This Center for Book Arts sponsored panel, Approaches to Hand Papermaking, brought together via Zoom three contemporary papermaking artists: Jazmine Catasus, Helen Frederick, and myself. We discussed our personal histories with the medium and presented examples of our work. A discussion and Q&A session was led by moderator Mina Takahashi following our artists' presentations.
KB Nationale Bibliotheek Video: Liefde en Vriendschap
October 13, 2020
Paul Van Capelleveen presented my GuestBook in a short video made for the National Library in The Hague’s website:
In tijden van corona is bij elkaar op bezoek gaan niet makkelijk of gewenst, en hoe mooi is het dan om een gastenboek door te kunnen bladeren vol vrienden die eerder bij je langs zijn geweest? Conservator moderne drukken Paul van Capelleveen toont in dit filmpje een bijzonder gastenboek van de Amerikaanse kunstenares Robbin Ami Silverberg.
In times of corona visiting each other is not easy or desired, and how beautiful is it to be able to browse a guest book full of friends who visited you before? Modern printing conservator Paul van Capelleveen shows a special guest book by American artist Robbin Ami Silverberg in this video.
Retrospective will close
August 2020
Due to the pandemic, Read Me. Like a Book. has been closed to visitors since mid-March. Fortunately, I was able to create a virtual tour. I had hoped that we would resume a modicum of normalcy and engagement in the US... and that many of you would have been able to visit the exhibition at that time. The show still exists, but sadly, it will be taken down the end of August before students return to campus so the Institute can disinfect the facility.
Artist of the Month
August 2020
I have been chosen ‘Artist of the Month’ for August by the College Book Arts Association.
Isaac Anolic Jewish Book Arts Award
July 2020
I just received the wonderful news that I am the winner of the 2020 Isaac Anolic Jewish Book Arts Award. The award finances the production of a new artist book edition, with a Jewish theme.
JCBA Book Artist for Week of June 8th
June 2, 2020
The Jaffe Center for Book Arts, at Florida Atlantic University Libraries, has launched a new program of videos focusing each week on a single artist and one artist book. For the Week of June 8th, my artist book Rondo has been selected:
Books in "2 x 25" exhibition, Vienna, Austria
May 22, 2020
Summer 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of Galerie DRUCK & BUCH, Padberg. To commemorate this occasion, the gallery has launched an online exhibition of 2 x 25 books, with short films of each book shown, opened and with all pages turned.
Two of Dobbin Books are presented:
Just 30 Words, edition of 30
(This book is the last one on the right of the 4th shelf).
Knitting Poetry, edition of 4, in collaboration with the late Christiane Wustinger
(This book is the 1st one on the left of the bottom shelf).
Makers and Collectors evening
April 17, 2020
4th in a new series organized by Ken Soehner & Tony White at the Watson Library, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC: an evening of Makers and Collectors was planned for April 17th, 2020 to focus on Dobbin Books. Due to the pandemic it has been postponed to a date yet to be announced.
Concurrent to my retrospective, I’ve organized a special evening event, Pushing the Boundaries of the Book. Three talented artists have been invited to activate the space of the library with sound, installation, performance & word.
Adeena Karasick presents a Pechakucha performance in the Alumni Reading Room, Polina Porras Sivolobova does a performance on the central staircase, and John Roach makes a sound installation in the library stacks. Additionally, there will be a panel discussion between the 3 artists & myself, with Martha Wilson, emerita director of Franklin Furnace, as moderator.
Pushing the Boundaries is part of the LIVE AT THE LIBRARY series & cosponsored by Pratt Institute Libraries & the Pratt provost office.
Due to the pandemic, this event has been postponed, rescheduled date to be announced
Zine published
March 2020
My zine, “I write what I know…” was published by Journal of Artist Books, and included in JAB 47, March 2020.
The zine presented my interpretation of the installation planned for the central staircase of Pratt Institute Libraries and part of my 30 year retrospective, Read Me. Like a Book.
Essay published in The Blue Notebook
March 2020
The essay, Five Fragments of Introductions To Robbin Ami Silverberg’s Books - The book as an installation, the installation as a book by Paul van Capelleveen was published in The Blue Notebook, Volume 14 No. 2, Spring-Summer 2020. The original unabridged version was included in the catalog published for my retrospective exhibition, Read Me. Like a Book.
Interview in the Sunday Paper Blog
March 7, 2020
Helen Hiebert interviewed me in late February. On her Sunday Paper Blog site she wrote:
Listen to my conversation with Robbin Ami Silverberg on Paper Talk! Robbin is a paper and book artist in Brooklyn, NY, whose content-rich artist’s books I have long admired. We had a lovely meandering conversation starting with the paper sculptures she made in college and ending up with an overview of her 30-year retrospective at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn – Read Me Like A Book– which is on view through April 9th. Fun fact: Robbin and I were on Sesame Street with a bunch of cute kids making paper in the mid-1990s. Enjoy our conversation!
Read Me. Like a Book. Opening reception
February 13, 2020
A festive evening was had by all at the opening of my exhibition Read Me. Like a Book.
Speakers included Pratt Institute Libraries director, Russ Abell, along with Franklin Furnace emerita director, Martha Wilson, and the Ken Dewey Director of Franklin Furnace, Harley Spiller.
Exhibition catalog
January 2020
With great excitement, the pallet of catalogs arrived from the print shop in Hungary.
Dorka Hubner, the designer, created an extraordinary tour de force — I am truly delighted!
The catalog highlights 30 artist books to represent the 30 years of Dobbin Books' publications.
In addition, it contains 3 eloquent essays by Susanne Padberg, Paul Van Capelleveen, and Michael Joseph, along with the checklist of the exhibition (68 artist books & 3 installations).
Responses to the catalog:
Thanks muchly for sending your stunning new catalog... It is beautifully designed and deserves a prize.
- Jack Ginsberg
The catalog of your show is probably the greatest book I ever had in my hands!
- András Váradi
Artist Exhibition In Haining, China
August 29, 2019
The Juntao First National Book Art Exhibition was held in the Qian Juntao Art Research Museum, Haining, China, from 20 October to 20 November 2019. The exhibition was sponsored by the Illustration and Binding Arts Committee of the Chinese Artists Association, the Haining Municipal People’s Government, the Haining Federation of Literature and Arts, and the Qian Juntao Art Research Museum.
The three part exhibition included a collecting show of book arts and binding by Chinese artists; an invitational exhibit of artists’ books and book objects by Doug Beube, Inge Bruggeman, Robbin Ami Silverberg, and Buzz Spector; and a collaboration of scholars from Pejing University and students from Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, Ningbo University, and Guangzhou Academy of Fine arts. Students from these three schools have made books on various themes of scholars’ books, including sociology, literature, Bible studies, film studies, law, Taoism, and other bodies of knowledge.
The collecting show was staged in the Qian Juntao Art Research Museum, the invitational exhibit, where my artist books were exhibited, was held in the Xu Bangda Art Museum, and the thematic exhibition occupied the Zhang Zongxiangao Museum.
March was an exciting month: I attended the Booknesses colloquium at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, where I was a keynote speaker!
It was a fabulous 3 weeks: giving lectures & critiques at the University, working on an artist book collaboration with printmaker Kim Berman, attending the colloquium, making paper from African fibers for an artist book collaboration, giving the opening speech for South African Artists’ Books exhibition, and wonderful times with lovely colleagues and friends!
Interview Posted On ‘Bookbinding Now’ Blog
by ROBBIN on NOVEMBER 26, 2015
November 25th an interview went live of me talking with guest host, Elizabeth Whalley. It was an enjoyable conversation about my art practice, including a walk-through of Dobbin Mill, while talking about papermaking, 4 of my artist books, and books in general, and replete with support sounds of laughter, crackling paper, and drilling:
I’m terribly excited about my recent solo exhibition at Galerie Druck & Buch in Vienna, Austria, September 4 – October 8, 2014. This exhibition takes place exactly 30 years since I left Vienna after 3 years of training there in bookbinding at Werkstatt für Buchgestaltung. Circa 20 artist books are on exhibition, along with 2 installations.
“Self Scrutiny” At The NY Art Book Fair
by ROBBIN on SEPTEMBER 19, 2013
Self Scrutiny, is based on Istvan Orkeny’s story about a man and his mirror image who becomes independent from him.
For this artist book edition, I worked with cards that have been donated courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum Libraries. By repeatedly writing/typing/painting and re-writing actual cards along with fictitious ones, all on handmade paper made from pulped cards, I was able to re-create both the storyline and my own commentary. The latter appears as notational references about simulacrum and hyper-reality.
@Archive is an intervention exhibition in the storage facility of the National Jewish Archive in Budapest, Hungary, that runs from July – September 2013. I have placed artist books and works on paper within the actual storage unit that respond directly to the objects collected there in an installation called intervention/installation.
Silverberg’s Recent Installation: A Memory Palace At FUGA Gallery
by ROBBIN on SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
A Memory Palace Installation at FUGA Gallery
Budapest Center of Architecture
Petőfi Sándor utca 5., Budapest, Hungary 1052
June – September 2013
A Memory Palace was an installation at FUGA, where I explored the connection between episodic memory and location, working with this ancient mnemonic device. The space contained a series of photographs, a set of pulp-paintings of my ambulatory mapping, a video, an artist book and set of hand-cut player piano scrolls, along with found and remembered objects.
A highlight of the event was Jazz musician László Göz’s improvisation on five conch shells. The music was a transformative ‘reading’ of my player piano scrolls.
László Göz opens Böröcz / Silverberg exhibit at FUGA in Budapest was filmed by Peter Forgacs.
Paper as Subtext: Interview with Robbin Ami Silverberg
Published in Fine Books & Collections
Issue 11.1 // Winter 2013
I was recently interviewed by Richard Minsky on topics ranging from my process to my collaborations and current projects.
The Book as Memorial: Book Artists Respond to and Remember 9/11
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Sept. 6-December 16, 2011
have several artist books and a new installation, Anamnesis: 9/11 in an exhibition at Yale University, Special Collections, Haas Family Arts Library.
On Sept. 22nd at 5:30 pm there will be an artists’ panel in conjunction with the 9/11 exhibitions at the Yale Art Gallery lobby, with Nathan Lyons, Leo Rubenfien, Judith Shea, and myself.
Paper Art | Exhibition: Mother Installation
June 10th – September 15th, 2011
Bildungshaus St. Benedikt
Seitenstetten | Austria
Paper in its various and surprising appearances is the material as well as the focus of this international show. The exhibition occupies the interior spaces around the chapel of the Seitenstetten Abbey, its garden and orchard – creating a mulitfaceted presentation of paper art by four excellent artists of the field:
Peter Gentenaar | The Netherlands
Gjertrud Hals | Norway
Robbin Silverberg | USA
Sigi Schraube | Germany
I will have an installation along a 14 meter wall & in the orchard, part of the on-going series called Anamnesis: The Opposite of Forgetting. It is a posting wall of announcements, ads, posters & detritus along with a sound & video piece focused on memory and healing: Nothing Is, Until Uttered in a Clear Voice. We cannot display this gallery. The exhibition is open during the office hours oft the Bildungshaus from Monday through Saturday from 8 – 17 h, Sundays from 10 – 15 Uhr. The entrance is free.
www.st-benedikt.at The show was curated by Renate Habinger | www.habinger.at