Welcome to The Amichai Windows!
It has been quite an adventure since I began some eight years ago — well, really more than eight years ago depending on when you begin counting. If you start from my first becoming acquainted with Amichai’s writings, then you have to go back to the 1980s. When I first got a copy of Amichai’s poems in Hebrew, Aschshav BeRaash, from a dear friend, I never dreamed that I would meet him and his wife, Hana. Or that I would ever become a book artist myself and publish some of his poems years later.
Here’s a picture of my copy of Achshav BeRaash — which, roughly translated, means Now, Amid the Din:
The cover of Rick Black’s copy of Yehuda Amichai’s book, “Achshav BeRaash”
In fact, this book has accompanied me on many trips to and from Israel as well as stops in Europe and occasional treks in the U.S. I love Amichai’s other collections, too, especially Patuach Sagur Patuach, his last work (confession: I don’t type in Hebrew too well so I’ll transliterate as well as possible).
Over the years, I have kept notes off and on of my efforts to make The Amichai Windows. I had to confront and overcome many challenges from its initial conception to the present. I plan on posting a blog entry once or twice a week about various aspects of making this artist book.
I’ll touch on why I wanted to make the collection, overcoming translation issues, visiting the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University where Amichai’s papers are kept, figuring out the most appropriate design, selecting and designing handmade papers, and more.
I hope you’ll enjoy this journey into the world of Yehuda Amichai and book art. . . !
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