This artist book works with two standard forms of identification, the passport and self-portrait, to question representations of identity. The photographs used, taken each decade from 9 years of age to 49, are layered and mixed with stamped pages from an expired passport and a text by the artist.
Much of my work focuses on my interest in interlinearity, the concept between the lines, the subtext, the portion of knowledge and the world that we ignore or omit, or consider negative space. When the substrate is translucent, the possibilities of exploration concerning ‘that which is not said’ is all the more fascinating, and the layering that occurs creates even greater richness to the meaning.
Although the basis for my work, whether artist book or installation, is conceptual, much of my artwork stems from an essential materiality. The artwork reflects on both my material sensibility as much as the content and issues that comprise their core. Paper has been my preferred material for 30 years and I have explored its potential as a non-neutral substrate in my image making, book making and process.
Robbin Ami Silverberg is founding director of Dobbin Mill, a hand-papermaking studio, and Dobbin Books, a collaborative artist book studio. Her artwork is divided between artist books and installations. The work conceptually focuses on word cognition and interlinearity, with an emphasis on process and paper as activated substrate. Silverberg has exhibited and taught extensively in the US, Canada, South Africa, South Korea, Mexico, and Europe. Her artwork is found in numerous collections, such as the Museum Meermanno, The Hague, Bibliotheque Nationale de France, and Yale University’s Art of the Book. She is an Associate Professor at Pratt Institute and on the boards of the Center for Book Arts, Ampersand Foundation, Booklyn Artist Alliance & Alma on Dobbin.
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