For a painter and classically-trained pianist, Hungarian-born artist Nikolett Kiss is also pretty book smart: a few times a month, Kiss hosts bookbinding workshops out of her cosy Charlottenburg apartment, teaching Berliners to fold, stitch, glue and press their very own hardcover volume.
“Most people come in thinking they will leave with a mess resembling a book, and get very surprised when it looks like an actual one,” Kiss reports. Her workshops are chatty and social, and all materials are provided, letting attendees choose their own paper and colourful cover pattern.
Kiss herself “couldn’t tell you” how many books she’s bound; she made her first as a gift for her partner by following a YouTube tutorial, and her count is now in the hundreds. It’s a craft few people know about, she says. “We all have books at home, but very few people actually stop and think about the process of making them. You can make your first book with very little knowledge, but after getting a glimpse of this world you will appreciate your beautiful hardcover books so much more.”
The uses for the final product abound – make a calendar, agenda, diary or sketchbook. Stationary superfans can simply message Kiss – who is currently completing training in art therapy and plans to expand the workshops online soon – to reserve a spot.
While your first paper caper might not be 100% seamless, the class is the perfect activity for someone who wants to do things by the book instead of buying the book.
