The most interesting use of the artist book I found in this article was Stephen Willats and his book ‘Taking the Short Cut’. I really enjoyed the idea he brought in regard to social interaction and community engagement. He took one common factor of individuals who happened to live in geographic proximity and made it a point of connection. Despite a small detail, it is able to string together a story for this walking path and those who live in the area. Having each description be in the first person tense of the subject makes it feel more personal alongside the photographs. It makes the reader feel part of the story, or part of the group.
I also appreciated the other purpose this book provided, which point back to community engagement. This book promotes to those who live in the area, or really anyone interested, to visit this walking path. It gives the audience agency to be part of the story and the conversation. I could see this being a series for more individuals to participate in over a span of time (ex. 5 years).
In general, I find the artist book interesting because of the layered element it brings to reading. In a world where technology is on the rise, and so is instant satisfaction, reading has tremendously decreased as a method of entertainment. Utilizing a form such as artists books can bring in visual and even interactive elements to storytelling. Being able to engage a reader in multiple ways is a gateway to connection and fulfilling the purpose of the work. Not only as attention grabbing, artists books also convey the message of a body of work without words. Some readers can sometimes struggle with the intention behind ones work. The elements included in an artist book, such as Willats, gives readers the ability to understand in different ways. Readers can choose from descriptions, photography, location, individuals, etc as ways to understand or identify with artists books.
