January 16 through March 28, 2010
Pfundt Gallery

Over her long career as a book artist, Hedi Kyle has pushed the envelope of what is considered a book. She has not only invented alternative book structures—the Flag Book, the Spider Book, the Blizzard Book—but her innovations in the field have been taught the world over. Kyle began her training in Germany where she studied graphic design and illustration.

After moving to America in the early 1960s, she studied bookbinding and book conservation. For over thirty years as a professional conservator, Kyle followed traditional practices for preserving books and archives, but as a maker of artists' books, she has always been interested in using new materials and processes to transform conventional book structures. She has also been a life-long educator—teaching workshops on bookbinding in prestigious art venues throughout this country and abroad.

Since 1986, Kyle has taught bookbinding at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Her exhibition at the Michener showcases the groundbreaking ideas and structures she has created throughout her life.

Both the Lynne Allen and the Hedi Kyle exhibitions are being organized as part of Philagrafika 2010, a contemporary, international, printmaking festival. More than a hundred exhibitions and programs at arts institutions in the Philadelphia area will be held from January through April 2010 as part of the festival.

Image: Hedi Kyle, Soap Opera, 2009, H. 29 in. x W. 22.5 in. x D. 1.5 cm. (closed), paper, scanned and stenciled images of soap, insects and text.