BIMA at CODEX: Celebrating Community, Craft, and the Art of the Book

Earlier this month, BIMA travelled to Oakland, CA to take part in the CODEX Book Art Fair & Symposium! We joined artists, collectors, publishers, and book arts enthusiasts from around the world for one of the biggest gatherings dedicated exclusively to artist’s books and fine press work. As proud sponsors of the event, we were honored to support and celebrate a community that shares our deep commitment to book arts.

In the days leading up to the four-day event, we hosted a series of special events that set the tone for connection and collaboration. We welcomed artists and colleagues to a luncheon at Kala Art Institute, where guests enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of Kala’s renowned print residency spaces and the opportunity to connect with more than 50 artists. That evening, the celebration continued with a soirée at the San Francisco Center for the Book, bringing together artists, collectors, and friends in one of the Bay Area’s most beloved hubs for book arts.

During the fair itself, BIMA and the Cynthia Sears Artists’ Book Collection hosted a table that became a lively gathering point throughout the event. While BIMA staff welcomed visitors and shared information about the museum and collection, Curator Erin Zona, Registrar Myrna Ougland, and collection founder Cynthia Sears made the rounds, engaging directly with artists and presses and selecting dozens of new titles to add to the collection.

 

Across the fair and symposium, we connected with hundreds of artists, collectors, scholars, and fellow institutions, exchanging ideas about process, materiality, and the evolving possibilities of artists’ books today and in the future. We were also delighted to see our dear friend Yuka Petz, host of BIMA’s video series Artists’ Books Unshelved, moderate a session at the Symposium too!

 

Participating in CODEX was both energizing and affirming. It underscored the importance of artist’s books as a living art form and reinforced BIMA’s role as a steward, advocate, and connector within this vibrant field. We return inspired, grateful, and excited to share the many new works and relationships forged at CODEX with our community in the months ahead.

Learn about BIMA’s Artists’ Books Collection here.