In 1988, The Center for the Book Arts held the first in a series of annual exhibitions focusing on contemporary book artists from Europe and Asia. This exhibition presented the work of the typographer and book designer, William Sandberg (1897-1984). The outstanding characteristic of Sandberg's design is its vitality. Time has not diminished its impact; we now see more clearly his inventiveness and variety. Sandberg delighted in playing off the severe shapes of type against collage, torn paper and objets trouvé. His pamphlets, books, catalogs and posters combine colors, languages and typefaces in a dazzling display of imagination. In addition to the list of items on display, the catalogue contains a biography of Sandberg along with descriptions and black-and-white illustrations for the books.