Roni Gross
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn, New York
Bio: Roni Gross is a book artist who trained first as a musician and then as a choreographer. She is interested in the theater of the book, its pacing, the music of language, and the resonance of color. Gross issues multiples under the imprint Zitouna and limited-edition letterpress printed books in collaboration with the sculptor Peter Schell under the press name Z’roah. She currently teaches at The Center for Book Arts and The New School. Her work is held in the collections of the New York Public Library, Library of Congress, Harvard University, and many other public and private collections.
Statement: My work is focused on creating an environment in which to experience a written text.
Most of the texts I use are poetry, predominantly of living poets. I want viewers to have a multisensory experience, so that every element that is part of the work adds to their kinesthetic knowledge. The weight of the paper, impression of the printing, texture of the sculptural pieces, how the binding structure reveals the text and controls the pacing, inclusion of sound elements—these are all players in creating an environment that is not solely dependent on the visual.
I have been working with letterpress printing throughout my career, seeing it as a sculptural medium. Trying to capture the quality and rhythm of speech has been an ongoing concern. The small but important details of hand setting and printing type require a kind of patience and focus that contribute to the intimate nature of my work. When collaborating with sculptor Peter Schell, I try to pare the work down to the elemental. Sculptural elements expand the reach of the writing to give viewers another way to enter the terrain.
Over the years, I have worked with such poets as Jean Valentine, C. K. Williams, L. B. Thompson, and Rachel Zucker. The work with Nancy Campbell has spanned a number of projects: two artist books, a broadside, a multiple, and the commercially printed book of an essay. The imagery, both visual and linguistic, that has come out of Campbell’s time in Greenland has proved to be a rich source of inspiration for both of us.
Statement: My work is focused on creating an environment in which to experience a written text.
Most of the texts I use are poetry, predominantly of living poets. I want viewers to have a multisensory experience, so that every element that is part of the work adds to their kinesthetic knowledge. The weight of the paper, impression of the printing, texture of the sculptural pieces, how the binding structure reveals the text and controls the pacing, inclusion of sound elements—these are all players in creating an environment that is not solely dependent on the visual.
I have been working with letterpress printing throughout my career, seeing it as a sculptural medium. Trying to capture the quality and rhythm of speech has been an ongoing concern. The small but important details of hand setting and printing type require a kind of patience and focus that contribute to the intimate nature of my work. When collaborating with sculptor Peter Schell, I try to pare the work down to the elemental. Sculptural elements expand the reach of the writing to give viewers another way to enter the terrain.
Over the years, I have worked with such poets as Jean Valentine, C. K. Williams, L. B. Thompson, and Rachel Zucker. The work with Nancy Campbell has spanned a number of projects: two artist books, a broadside, a multiple, and the commercially printed book of an essay. The imagery, both visual and linguistic, that has come out of Campbell’s time in Greenland has proved to be a rich source of inspiration for both of us.