"Bibliophile Editions of the Faculty of Applied Art in Belgrade, Subject Book Graphic Design 1964-2010"

“Anastas” Gallery, Museum of Applied Art

Author: Jugoslav Vlahović, professor at the Department for Applied Graphics of the Faculty of Applied Art
Curator to the exhibition: Slobodan Jovanović, curator, Department of Contemporary Applied Arts

“Bibliophile Editions of the Faculty of Applied Art in Belgrade, Book Graphic Design Subject 1964-2010” refers both to the exhibition and the book of the same title edited by Jugoslav Vlahović, professor at the Faculty of Applied Art and designed by the graduand Tijana Bogosavljević. Almost all bibliophile editions created within the Book Graphic Design Subject in the past half a century are represented. The subject was introduced by Prof. Bogdan Kršić in 1964 and he led it until his retirement in 1997 when Prof. Vlahović took over. More than 300 books created as students’ diploma achievements constitute a unique library at present, a complete whole combining in a creative way all the knowledge accomplished during applied graphics studies, in the first place that of graphics, illustration and typography and more recently of photography.

Bibliophile editions are hand-printed books with a limited circulation, usually of 5 to 20 copies created in faculty and graphic workshops environment, and recently in digital form. Small circulation does not automatically define book as being bibliophile, it is result of long-term creative work instead. Many significant applied artists have graduated from the Faculty of Applied Arts (illustrators, engravers and graphic designers): Dušan Petričić, Predrag Nešković, Dobri Stojanović, Jugoslav Vlahović, Miloš Majstorović, Rastko Ćirić, Ilija Knežević, Branislav Fotić, Daniela Fulgosi, Budimir Dimitrijević, Marija Grafovac, Jana and Igor Oršolić, Isidora Nikolić, Vladimir Lalić and many others. In accordance with the nature of their work they have other commitments but their creative work is most important for visual culture, education and quality of life of contemporary man.

«Think graphics» was a unique method of Prof. Kršić which he used in training the followers of multi-originals art to manage with equal skill the so-called free graphics and the applied one which is guided by different rules and limitations. So prepared, his graduate students had the necessary knowledge to enter the labyrinths of creation applying the acquired knowledge on millions of accomplishments in publishing industry and press or in artistic galleries. The successor of Kršić, Prof. Jugoslav Vlahović abides by the same principles though modernized by new, digital technologies. In the book he states: “An applied engraver and designer of books must be a person of specific visual and graphic culture, capable to create a small graphic symphony out of a single word, a book title, or to explain thousand of written words by only one illustration. And besides, he has to create his own approach and recognizable style which is the permanent aspiration of every artist”.

Since the book is the only printed item conceived to last, all represented authors were trained to professionally and attractively shape and execute visual-graphic wholes targeted at the widest possible layer of users. Exclusivity of these editions is what makes them particularly valuable and quality ones. Having in mind that almost all items printed at the Faculty of Applied Art have been preserved, this collection, even worldwide rare, represents a very interesting material and a document on important results achieved by a well-programmed school which maintains its high level in the new conditions as well.
The word bibliophile itself comes from Greek biblion – a book and philia – love, i.e. love for books and this refers to both collectors and creators. That was the reason for a new term Artists’ books to come into worldwide use (particularly on the Internet), which refers though not only to printed but also to unique books.