The book master
- Theresa uses traditional book binding techniques
- She creates books, graphics and restores historical books
- She spent three years travelling to discover new perspectives on her craft
Initially an apprenticeship in the craft of bookbinding was just intended to be a preliminary step towards restoration studies. That however quickly changed during the course of the apprenticeship as Theresa Wedemeyer began to dive deep into the diverse techniques and centuries-old traditions of her craft: “I realised how versatile this profession is and how satisfying it is to see the result at the end of the day." Following a visit to Luxembourg, Theresa Wedemeyer decided to take to the road after finishing her apprenticeship in order to enrich her skills. After over three years as a journeyman, she set up her own workshop in the little village of Emstek in the north of Germany and completed a course at the Akademie für Gestaltung in Münster. Today, she is known for her unique book designs that are executed with remarkable skill and she teaches at her Alma Mater.
Discover her work
INTERVIEW
It went very slowly, step by step. The best machines and tools for bookbinding are not necessarily found in a catalogue. So every tool and every machine in my workshop has its own history, most of them are very old and come from the most diverse regions.
Yes, the tools my master gave to me after I finished my apprenticeship. I have worked with them since the beginning of my career. They mean a lot to me. There is so much time and movement stored in all my tools.
Everything is still made by hand and most of my machines run on muscle power. It's not about high quantities, it's about good results. The output is limited to the creative power of an individual. Some things are special because they take time, maybe that is the silent revolution.
Digitalisation has turned things upside down for sure. However, I don’t think this means farewell to traditional crafts such as bookbinding. The book is a complex cultural asset with a multitude of functions of which only some can be substituted by digital formats.
