Utah Museum of Fine Arts | OPEN BOOK

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Arabic Papyrus, Aziz S. Atiya, Brigham Young University, J. Willard Marriott Library, Lincoln Blumell, Lola Atiya, rare books, University of Utah, Utah Museum of Fine Arts

A piece from the rare book collections is on loan at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, in its ongoing exhibition, Ancient Mediterranean Art: Res Mortis. The piece may be viewed at the museum through September, 2018.

The carved fragment of limestone celebrates the life of Helene, to whom is given the credit “In peace and blessing Ama Helene, a Jew, who loves the orphans, [died]. For about 60 years her path was one of mercy and blessing; on it she prospered.”

The piece has been at the J. Willard Marriott for nearly thirty years, a gift of Aziz S. and Lola Atiya. Aziz Atiya founded the University of Utah’s Middle East Center and the Marriott’s Middle East Library in 1969. Rare Books holds many gifts from Dr. and Mrs. Atiya, including this epitaph and one of the largest collections of Arabic papyrus fragments in the world.

When the epitaph was given to the library, it was provisionally identified as a “Coptic inscription, dating from the dawn of the use of the Greek alphabet, not earlier than the second century, but not later than the third.”

Years later, in 2016, Lincoln Blumell, associate professor of ancient scripture, at Brigham Young University translated it, publishing his translation in Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Period. News of the piece attracted world wide press attention.

For more information on Dr. Blumell’s translation see our previous post.

— photographs by Scott Beadles

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accordion fold, Allison Milham, altar, bands, Berkeley, Book Arts Program, Book Arts Studio, California, City Center of San Francisco, cut-out, desert, envelope, fan-folds, Flying Fish Press, Gloria Morales, J. Willard Marriott Library, Julie Chen, Kathy Walkup, land art, Lois Morrison, Luise Poulton, Maryline Poole Adams, Mexican, miniature book, movable books, Nancy Holt, oil-cloth, paper hinges, peephole, photograph, Poole Press, pop-up, rare book collections, Rare Books Department, San Francisco, Scott Beadles, Sun Tunnels, The University of Utah, tunnel book, Utah, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Virgin, workshop

Tunnel Vision: A Selection of Tunnel, Pop-up and Movable Books from the Rare Books Department

Tunnel Vision features a selection of pieces from the rare book collections produced using various paper manipulations to create the illusion of depth — framing and narrowing the viewers’ perspective. This exhibition is the result of a collaboration between the Book Arts Program, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, and the Rare Books Department. It coincides with two events (see below) inspired by Nancy Holt’s famous land art piece, Sun Tunnels, located in Utah’s west desert.

March 23 through June 3, 2016
Level 1, J. Willard Marriott Library
The University of Utah
Co-curated by Luise Poulton and Allison Milham

A Maze in Mystery: An Amazing Peep-Show
Maryline Poole Adams
Berkeley, CA: Poole Press, 1992
N7433.4 A23 M29 1992

Boards connected by fan-folds; views are through a door in the first board. Edition of one hundred copies. University of Utah copy is no. 22.

The Gadarene Swine: Luke 8:26-33 & Later
Lois Morrison
Berkeley, CA: Flying Fish Press
N7433.4 M66 G3 1993

Jardin de Guadalupe
Lois Morrison
San Francisco, CA: L. Morrison, 1994
N7433.4 M66 J37 1994

Paper cut-out see-through scene with accordion fold hinges on both sides and photograph of altar with Virgin at back. In oil-cloth envelope, fastened with ties. Edition of twenty-five copies. University of Utah copy is no. 19.

Life Time
Julie Chen
Berkeley, CA: Flying Fish Press, 1996
N7433.4 C44 L54 1996

Miniature book enclosed in a decorated sea green paper box with a hinged window lid. Text printed on a series of eight concentric discs attached by paper hinges in an accordion-fold format designed to be read through a center hole when the construction is fully extended. Edition of one hundred copies, numbered and signed by the author. University of Utah copy is no. 15.]

Ya Viene la Banda
Gloria Morales
San Francisco, CA: City College of San Francisco, 1998
N7433.4 M648 H47 1998

Tunnel book inspired by popular Mexican bands. Printed and bound by the author. Produced in Kathy Walkup’s Book Arts class at CCSF. Six leaves of color illustrations mounted with accordion-folded paper between boards, to be viewed through a peephole in the cover. One leaf of text laid-in. Edition of seven copies, numbered. University of Utah copy is no. 4.

Exhibition photographs by Scott Beadles

Sun Tunnels Educators’ Workshop and Family Day
April 23, 2016, 10am — 12pm
Free for teachers and their families (kids ages 5 and up)
The Book Arts Studio, J. Willard Marriott Library, Level 4

One of the most famous land art works in the world is right in our backyard! Nancy Holt’s iconic Sun Tunnels explores themes of light, perspective, time, space, geography, and more — perfect topics for interdisciplinary teaching. Bring your family and join the Utah Museum of Fine Arts for this hands-on workshop. Start the day together experiencing nature, then explore teaching through tunnel books while the family makes their own Sun Tunnels inspired art.

To register for this workshop contact: Allison Milham (Allison Milham @utah.edu) or schoolprogram@umfa.utah.edu

For more information visit umfa.utah.edu/teacherworkshops

ARTLandish: Sun Tunnels Community Meet-up
April 30, 2016, 1pm 00 4pm
Free and open to the public

Join the UMFA for a day of art and science at Sun Tunnels, the iconic land art by Nancy Holt in Utah’s west desert. UFMA members, families, teachers, and students of all ages are invited to explore the landscape, create art, and learn about the environment of the desert. Meet at site.

For driving directions visit: umfa.utah.edu/suntunnels_selfguide
For more information contact: virginia catherall@umfa.utah.edu

OPEN BOOK

~ News from the Rare Books Department of Special Collections at the J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah

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Exhibition — “Tunnel Vision”

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