A girl in an apron dotted with colored oil paint could be seen working on an old-fashioned machine demonstrating how to print drawings produced from copperplates. This was not just some film, but a real life scene taking place at the Book Art Square at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2002, which formally got underway on October 9 in Germany.

The techniques of copperplate printing were invented some 500 years ago, and can still be seen today, mainly in published paintings such as those by artists akin to Picasso. First the printer needs to engrave a painting onto a copperplate, color it with oil paint, and then roll it with a roller. After covering the plate with a piece of paper and passing them through the machine, a vivid drawing will appear before the audiences very eyes. This is the first time that the Frankfurt Book Fair has provided such a special forum for producers of prints, painter's books, artist's books and book objects.

Besides the copperplate printing process demonstrations, visitors can also see samples of stone printing.

According to H. Stefan Bartkowiak, who is responsible for editing the yearbook of Bartkowiaks Forum Book Art, he and his colleagues came up with the idea of opening a book art square because they have collected so many books published by artists, handsetters and printers rather than actual publishers. These books are made from unique materials such as the cloth, handmade papers, colored linocut, wood cut, leather, and even grass. They are published in small volumes, usually between 10 to 50, so they have little chance of being seen by most readers. The book art square is intended to provide readers with such an opportunity. Some artists and printers of the books, mainly from Europe, come to the book fair and host a booth here. Once a visitor finds what he is interested in they can find the name and position of relevant people in the catalogue provided and go directly to the artists themselves.

The arrangement of these stands is totally different from others. All the artists are trying their beset to show off their unique personalities as flamboyantly as possible. Some are drawing cards on the spot, while some decorate their stands with cloths in different forms, colors, and designs.

At present no such books come from Asia and the reasons are complicated, but Stefan said he hopes to see the exhibition held in China in the future. China is so well known for its paper-making and printing technologies, he said.

(china.org.cn by staff reporter Li Jinhui, October 11, 2002)