‘Pause artist’s book

2024, offset lithography, letterpress printing, laser cut, Somerset paper, 2” x 2” x ¼” (closed) accordion inside a 2.5” x 2.5” container, 200 copies.

‘Pause was offset printed at the Borowsky Center for Publication Arts by offset printer Erica Honson, letterpress printed in the letterpress studio, and laser cut in the Albert M. Greenfield Makerspace at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania over an unseasonably warm week at the end of April/start of May 2024, and was funded by the von Hess Visiting Artist Program. This artist’s book is signed and numbered by Blassingame.

With its three-color, offset printed imagery and metallic, letterpress-printed text, ‘Pause consists of the octagonal accordion text block, which is held in a locket-style container with a printed cameo cover. The container contains a letterpress-printed, script-style dedication and colophon reminiscent of jewelry engraving. For this project, Blassingame selected a small group of Black women to complete a questionnaire about their awareness of, feelings and memories related to menopause. In the laser-cut, accordion text block, the quoted and excerpted responses were letterpress printed in a blackish-gold ink color in Bitter typeface, which plays upon the stereotype of the bitter or angry Black woman. Serving as the offset-printed backgrounds, scanned materials represent intimacy and vulnerability, softness and strength. ‘Pause is meant to celebrate Black women, extend grace to those on the journey, and normalize the discussion of menopause and changes to women’s bodies.