{"id":569431,"date":"2026-07-31T23:14:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T23:14:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/569431\/"},"modified":"2026-07-31T23:14:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T23:14:10","slug":"heritage-bookbinding-elements-transform-in-contemporary-sculptures-by-adelene-koh-colossal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/569431\/","title":{"rendered":"Heritage Bookbinding Elements Transform in Contemporary Sculptures by Adelene Koh \u2014 Colossal"},"content":{"rendered":"

After visiting the New York Art Book Fair in 2011, Adelene Koh was smitten with the world of bookbinding. Her professional training commenced in Japan, then led her to London, and she\u2019s now based in Taiwan, where she runs a studio called dddots<\/a>. This year, Koh was one of 30 finalists for the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize<\/a>, which celebrates innovation across a wide range of artisanship.<\/p>\n

As a bookmaker and conservator, Koh draws upon the technical precision and heritage of bookmaking to create unique sculptures using paper and thread. Her work \u201cEndless\u201d was included in the prize\u2019s exhibition of shortlisted artists, consisting of a kind of ouroboros-like cylinder of meticulously folded paper and edges stitched with colorful fiber. \u201cThe result is an endless loop of a book\u2019s spine and fore-edge bound together by the English endband<\/a> sewing techniques from the 18th and 19th centuries,\u201d says a statement.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a><\/p>\n

Sewn endbands are not exactly invisible, but they\u2019re usually tucked snugly inside the cover. The thread is also not necessarily colorful, as it may be selected to blend in with the pages or other parts of the binding. For Koh, this underappreciated element becomes the highlight through vibrant combinations and rhythmic patterns. \u201cI\u2019m interested in bringing hidden elements of books into focus,\u201d Koh says. \u201cI\u2019m drawn to the overlooked, the sidelined, the parts that quietly support everything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

The winner of this year\u2019s competition is Jongjin Park<\/a>, and Colossal readers may also recognize the work of finalist Xanthe Somers<\/a>. See more on Koh\u2019s Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a><\/p>\n

\"a<\/a><\/p>\n

\"a<\/a><\/p>\n

\"a<\/a><\/p>\n

\"a<\/a><\/p>\n

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n

Hide advertising<\/p>\n

Save your favorite articles<\/p>\n

Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop<\/a><\/p>\n

Receive members-only newsletter<\/p>\n

Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms<\/p>\n

\t