The Technologies of Print Symposium: Geographies of Meaning explores the migration of imagination to word to object and the influence of place in historical and contemporary letterpress and bookmaking traditions. Hosted by the San José State University Departments of Art & Art History and English, this symposium provides undergraduates, graduates, and professionals at SJSU and beyond the opportunity to attend a day-long event featuring a series of panels lead by nationally renowned artists, printmakers, book arts librarians, scholars and interdisciplinary designers. Presentations and discussion will focus on the significant impact letterpress and bookmaking technologies have had on the distribution and communication of ideas about culture, place and politics since the time of their invention.

Additionally, two small run books, one poetry collection for SJSU literary periodical Reed Magazine and an artist book made by SJSU printmaking students with Professor Irene Carvajal are being printed and designed in collaboration with The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts printmaking department at Washington University in St. Louis and St. Louis based interdisciplinary design studio WORK/PLAY. These books and the details of their production will be presented as part of the symposium.

Participating speakers include master printer and co-founder of The CODEX Foundation Peter Koch in conversation with H. Rafael Chacón Ph.D. Professor of Art History and Criticism at the University of Montana and Director of the Montana Museum of Art and Culture, Professor Irene Carvajal from San José State University, Assistant Professor of English Kirstyn Leuner from Santa Clara University, UC Berkeley Bancroft Librarian Amelia Grounds, master printer Tom Reed of Washington University in St. Louis, Danielle and Kevin McCoy from the design studio WORK/PLAY, Chelsea Thompto Assistant Professor of Digital Media Arts at San José State University and Artist Carla Torres.

This symposium was organized by Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Pictorial Arts, Shaun O’Dell, with assistance from Lucia Znamirowski and Dr. Katherine D. Harris Professor of English and Comparative Literature at San José State University and with the support of an Artistic Excellence Programming Grant.

Please visit the external link below for more information and to register.