Book for/by Red Butte Press

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CLIENT

Red Butte Press, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah, honors and extends the traditions of fine press printing by producing handcrafted limited editions. They are committed to contemporary dialogue and publish essays focused on the western United States as well as the best in modern fiction and poetry.

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BRIEF

The three essays in Wo/Men at Work present multiple perspectives on work in the American West. The production of this handmade book furthers its investigation of labor through physical practice, and through the integration of cutting-edge and antiquated technologies.

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APPROACH

This three-part pamphlet represents a creative, physically labor-intensive, and materially-productive engagement with questions about how work shapes our lives. It probes the politics and gender roles of traditional and contemporary labor—a hybridization of old and new methodologies, it embodies a critical examination of technology and consumption.

PRODUCTION LESSONSThe 24-inch cover pushed the limits of our Vandercook SP-20 letterpress, as well as the capabilities of the photopolymer plate vendor, Boxcar Press. Long narrow sheets prove difficult to register multiple colors, so artists were asked to embrace an aesthetic that allowed for “creative misregistration." To keep costs down, student workers assisted with both printing and binding under the supervision of Red Butte Press staff. Throughout binding, tasks were alternated to maximize engagement. Custom jigs were designed to systematize scoring, folding, and sewing, and books were completed in batches of ten to monitor quality.