Thornwillow Press: The Handcrafted Book in the Age of Technology

January 7–February 26

In an age of disposable communication, handmade books may seem a lost form of art. "The Handcrafted Book in the Age of Technology" disproves that notion through beautiful leather bindings, letter-pressed fonts, and crafted papers.

A celebration of the written word, the exhibit includes beautifully hand-sewn and -bound works of fiction, poetry, and history, including some with distinct Groton ties, such as Freedom From Fear: The Life and Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt by William vanden Heuvel, about Groton’s 1900 graduate, and Civil Wars: Three Tales of Old New York, fiction by Louis Auchincloss ’35, P’76, ’82.

Thornwillow, started by Luke Pontifell P’18 when he was only sixteen, has created publications that reside in the permanent collections of the Morgan Library, Harvard University, Yale University, the British Library, the Getty Museum, MoMA, the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, the White House, and the Vatican library. Mr. Pontifell spent two weeks in December on campus as the Mudge Fellow, teaching students the art of bookmaking.

“The Handcrafted Book in the Age of Technology” provides a convincing argument that, amidst social media, Kindles, and web-based news, the book remains decidedly alive.