for the love of book arts: a feature story on book arts and Black Rock Press

Black Rock Press publishes a range of literary, visual and experimental materials that address the evolving nature of the book. Located within the Department of Art at the University of Nevada, Reno, Black Rock Press investigates the potential of the physical book as an art form through a variety of historical and contemporary methods that include letterpress printing and hand bookbinding, in concert with modern digital processes.

Black Rock Press is a unique place committed to advancing the art of the book while educating students and the broader community about book arts as both a historical and contemporary medium. AB Gorham is the Director of Black Rock Press and interim Area Head for the Book and Publication Arts Program. The publishing and outreach activities are integrated with the teaching curriculum.

What we do

• Instruction: Black Rock Press introduces students to the book and publication arts techniques and intellectual disciplines involved with the creation of books and other printed matter. Students are encouraged to develop an appreciation of the book as a special kind of object whose form can help reveal its contents.
• Publishing: Black Rock Press is a publishing entity focusing on the book as art, craft and concept. We aim to teach and publish a range of literary, visual, and experimental materials addressing the evolving nature of the book - striving to investigate the potential of the physical book in diverse environments.
• Outreach: We look to collaborate with other individuals and departments on campus as well as in the greater community. We continue to collaborate with state, regional and national poets, writers and artists, while extending our exchanges to broader interdisciplinary works in the publication arts.