Since 1993, Nina Katchadourian’s Sorted Books project has taken place in locations ranging from private homes to specialized public collections. After sifting through a library of books, Katchadourian selects particular titles and groups these books into clusters so that the titles can be read in sequence.
Taken as a whole, the clusters examine each particular collection’s focus, idiosyncrasies, and inconsistencies—a portrait of that library’s holdings. In addition to photographs from past sortings, Katchadourian will create a new piece in collaboration with Portland residents who will use the artist’s methods to sort their own books.