The essential focus of the collection is on artists' books
The Jaffe Collection is open to researchers Monday to Friday 10 AM to 4 PM, by appointment. For those who wish to learn more about the Jaffe Center for Book Arts, a 60-minute tour is offered each week on Wednesdays at 3:00. These set tours are lead by JCBA student assistants. No reservations are required, but we do ask that you arrive on time. Visitors should park in metered parking in the library parking lot.
There’s more than one way to tell a story. In this exhibition, we’ve paired artists’ books from the Jaffe Collection––all of which take a slightly different approach to the delivery of their narrative––with works created by students of JCBA International Programs Director Jeanne Jaffe. In the Fall Semester of 2018, inspired by puppetry and shadow plays, Jaffe taught classes at Xian Academy of Fine Arts and at Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, both in China. Her students there created the marionettes and puppets featured in our exhibition and told stories through them. Many are accompanied by stop motion animations.
Together with his late wife, Mata, Arthur built an outstanding collection of books as aesthetic objects focused on artists' books and limited editions. His collection began over 50 years before he and Mata gave these books to FAU in 1998. Rather than being the end of something, that gift was an inspired beginning, garnering an enthusiastic group of loyal supporters that grows with each passing year. The Arthur & Mata Jaffe Center for Book Arts is their legacy.
Every now and again, perhaps over coffee in the bindery at the Jaffe Center for Book Arts, I’d find myself sitting across from Arthur Jaffe and, in a wistful mood, no doubt, I’d ask him, “Did you ever think, way back when you and Mata gave your book collection to FAU, that it would become what it’s become?”
The Jaffe Center looks forward to hearing from you. If you are looking to schedule research hours, bring a community group on tour, or offer us thoughts on your expierence in one of our workshops, please send us a message.
