Annette Friedrich

Annette was born 1976 in Hannover and now lives in Halle (Saale), Germany. She is a Fellow of Designer Bookbinders and creates unique fine bindings.

Annette served a traditional two-year bookbinding apprenticeship in Leipzig, and then studied Conceptual Book Art at Burg Giebichenstein, University for Art and Design Halle, where she graduated after six years in 2004. Following the draw of a vibrant art and craft scene, she moved to England in 2005. Next to setting up her own studio for fine art bindings in East London, Annette also worked for the specialist bindery Book Works and Charles Gledhill, book restorer. Over the years, she got involved in curating exhibitions as well as serving a number of years as commissioning editor of The New Bookbinder, the Society’s annual flagship publication.

After fifteen years abroad, Annette relocated her studio back to Germany. Together with Rita Lass she set up the studio Goldene Esel where they specialise in book restoration and facsimiles.

Annette has exhibited widely and her works can be found in private and public collections alike.

All of the showcased books are part of Annette’s ‘Woolf I-IX’ project, where she set out to create a unique fine binding for each of the nine novels by Virginia Woolf. Approaching them in chronological order, Annette followed modernist Woolf’s daring lead towards fractionalisation and free flowing association. The project took seven years to complete and was first presented at ‘Collect’ at the Saatchi Gallery, London in 2018. A fine catalogue has been published to trace the project’s multiple layers and is available on Annette’s website.