Scrapbooks - Archives of American Art

I've been looking at a collection of scrapbooks, held online by the Archives of American Art. The scrapbooks themselves are collections of newspaper and magazine cuttings about the Macbeth Gallery that was open in New York from 1892 - 1952. The scrapbooks range from the date of opening to the date the gallery closed.

I find these old scrapbooks of great inspiration. I love the fact that someone has taken the time to cut every newspaper column and magazine clipping out and stick it into a completely new book. I used to make small scrapbooks when I was little but I think it's another thing we may have lost to make way for the internet and word processing. I really find it inspiring that just from cutting and saving all of the information from a newspaper, someone has single handedly produced a completely new and original publication.
In that single crude movement of cutting and sticking, the author/artist has made the gallery of new and high importance, not only to them personally, but to anyone looking at these documents in years to come. By putting something in print, you enhance its properties; but by having a huge amount of print about a subject together, it creates volume and vastness to the subject, thus raising its importance.

I really want to create a scrapbook effect for my final piece. I think it will give a really good conversation with the images themselves as well as with the audience.