12/07/2011

Is it true? Do images represent our personality?

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Is it true? Do images represent our personality?

It is always hard to talk about yourself because it entails laying your life bare. When people decide to do that they usually use reminiscences and images as tools to piece together fragments of their own experiences. But memory is irregular and repeatedly staggered. Even if it gives us the possibility to live again moments from the past, most of the times the chronological order gets lost and what comes out is a ‘map’ of ourselves, consisted of feelings that do not follow a linear path.

Citofonare Trombetta (“Ring Trombetta’s Doorbell”) – the 7th Wonder-Room opening, curated by Studio Blanco after a seasonal project break – echoed this thought.

The show displayed the iconographic cues and materials (photos, Polaroids, negatives, prints), which cover Vicky Trombetta’s overall creative process, related to his life, work and passions. Several pictures of different dimensions, set up in an apparently random order, were hung on the walls of an intimate venue that allowed visitors to have a glimpse into the personal and deep research of Vicky’s daily life.
The delicately colored images, all analogue and printed without any digital processing, remind vintage prints full of memory and represent the artist’s journal made of places and individuals that have filled his private and social life in the last two decades.
Through traditional photographic techniques Vicky Trombetta framed the past in his works and created pics, which preserve memory and time. Spontaneous faces – relatives, friends and models – caught by the photographer in a poetic, instinctive and intimate dimension welcomed in the exhibition space, arranged as a private house with a comfortable sofa. Guests could sit down and have a drink, chatting and enjoying the show immersed in an atmosphere of sharing and conviviality that reflects the Wonder-Room spirit.

The artist’s need of sharing conveyed not only through the atmosphere but also thanks to the idea of giving a piece of his collection to visitors, who could choose one shot from some boxes containing fifteen mini limited-edition silver prints (6 x 7,5 cm), printed in nine copies by Giancarlo Vaiarelli, a master of b&w hand printing.

People – without knowing exactly what the images represented – opted for what reflected their mood and, at the same time, maybe unconsciously, they took away a small part of Vicky’s ‘map’.

Monica Lombardi – images Paolo Simi courtesy of Wonder Room

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06/07/2011

Kindergarten / Palazzina dei Giardini Modena

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Kindergarten / Palazzina dei Giardini Modena

Palazzina dei Giardini in Modena has just opened its new artistic season with a group show entitled Kindergarten, which presents six international artists – Futura, Mode2, Os Gemêos, Tom Sachs, Kostas Seremetis, Boris Tellegen (aka Delta) – connected with street art and popular culture.

As suggested by the title, the exhibition aims at presenting art as a sort of game, something that recalls the freedom and innocence of childhood.

Kindergarten looks like a playground where toys are replaced by artworks thought to interact with people of all ages, entertaining and provoking at the same time. At the entrance, under the cupola of the seventeenth-century building, the show displays Toyan’s, a sound sculpture by Tom Sachs, the American artist famous for the Chanel Guillotine and for his interpretation of commercial brands, like Hello Kitty, represented as contemporary icons. Close to the weird sort of jukebox by Sachs, the first room hosts the sculptures by Kostas Seremetis depicting two unusual and irreverent versions of Mickey Mouse – one black and one white – holding a revolver and making a provocative gesture (the finger!).


The other rooms of the Palazzina are more related to street art. Futura 2000, one of the first graffiti artists, contemporaneous of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, presents a bronze creature that looks like an alien, surrounded by mirrors and painted with numerous circles, which remind viewers of galaxies. Mode2, a painter and illustrator coming from Mauritius, uses sculpture to challenge new materials, while Boris Tellegen, a Dutch artist, who combines graffiti writing, industrial engineering and design, creates a large minimalist construction made of parallelepipeds, which emphasize the weight and nature of the material.

But what really stands out is the installation made by the twin brothers Otàvio and Gustavo Pandolfo, better known as Os Gêmeos. The Brazilian artists – famous for their style inspired by fabulous worlds populated by characters stolen from children’s fairy tales – show a site specific intervention created during their residence in Modena from the beginning of summer: a room full of spray painted bottle of wine and coloured loudspeakers hung on the wall and connected with a computer, which reproduces random music. Two drums – one for adults and the other one, smaller, for children – are placed in the middle of the space and visitors can play and create their own music.


All the works displayed in Kindergarten are based on the important issues of playing and enjoyment, sometimes lean towards irony, sarcasm and impertinence, and other times more related to pure happiness, which brings the artists closer to children’s feelings.

The exhibition, opened on June 30 with a DJ set by Howie B, will run until September 15. Admission is always free.

Monica Lombardi

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05/07/2011

Hello, Carolina Melis!

Hello, Carolina Melis!

Dancer, illustrator, animator and most recently film maker, the latest talent to join the 2DM family sure has her fingers in many pies. Having worked for labels such as Hermes and Prada Carolina Melis is ridding one high wave. A wave she dose´nt seem to be getting off any time soon. With a recently released film “Le fiamme di Nule” and a wide array of animated works for the BBC this multitalented Sardinian native leaves us gasping for more.

Hands | NSPCC | Saatchi&Saatchi | Nexus Productions from Carolina Melis on Vimeo.

Based out of London, Carolina´s art has a distinct warm style that makes one go all warm and gooey on the inside. Featuring elements of and nature and dance like repetition her art has a mesmerizing, melodic almost poetic drama to it. Her warmth and cheers scorches through her work and we gladly share her cheers welcoming her to the fold.

You come from a dance background, how did you make the transition into art direction illustration and animator. Tell us about your beginnings in the field? 
I moved to the UK to study choreography, but I never wanted to become a dancer, I was mainly interested in composition and directing rather than the technique. I studied at the Dartington College of Arts – a place that in the past had hosted some great artists such as composer Stravinsky, dance-theatre funder Kurt Jooss and sculptor Henry Moore to mention a few. There I started to think about choreography beyond the physical dance performance, creating animations and illustrations which I saw almost as dances on screen and paper.

Later this became my main field. I moved to London and graduated at Central Saint Martins where I specialised in illustration, art direction and animation. At the moment my work is much more commercial and mainstream than my early stuff, yet weather on paper, on stage or on screen I still think about my compositions as potential dance scores.

Your art has an almost poetic, melodic feel. How much does dance influence your art?
I’m a dance fanatic. Living in London I have the privilege to see great shows all the time and attend classes with the best professionals. I get hugely inspired by this. In my work I use lots of repetitions and variations and in my animations I rarely use cuts. I think that comes from dance, I see movements and images evolving and transforming all the time, a constant flow. I also have a great passion for nature and I exploit motives such as flowers, insects, animals, yet I consider my work to be more dramatic than romantic. 

What is your creative process like? How does a beautiful Carolina Melis piece go from concept to reality?
YI often start from a simple motif: a combination of colours, a shape, a song, a story. I am a firm believer in the creative process, meaning that ideas generate ideas. It is very difficult to plan a final piece before even starting on it. My best work is often unplanned, I start with a simple element and then develop it until it becomes a piece of work – an animation an illustration or whatever fits right. Commercially it’s a different process..

What is the most personal project you’ve done so far?
It would probably be the video I did ¨Coleen on Leaf¨. It was my first video and I was questioning my taste and approach to art a lot at that point. I was listening to a lot of electronic music at that time, and for the first time I had to give that kind of music a visual. I spent ages on it, a very ambitious project as it’s full of tiny dots that move individually.  It’s had been a while since I did it but it´s still is one of my favourite pieces.

What is your relationship with fashion? How would you describe your style and how much does your art influence it?
My style is quite simple and feminine. I wear mainly black and pastel colours, which are also my favorite combinations in work.
I often collaborate with fashion labels. At the moment I’m directing an animated piece for Prada in collaboration with AnOther Magazine. It’s for a new fragrance they are about to launch…it´s a fantastic project as it’s about dance, unfortunately I can’t say any more as it’s not out yet. 
I also have an ongoing collaboration with french fashion label Sessun. For them I create original window art pieces for their 5 stores in France. Every piece is inspired by the collection of the moment and it’s entirely crafted. The first one I did was an installation of hundreds of butterflies all made of found little elements, such as beds, feathers, small pieces of wood. Beside these jobs I’ve also done quite a few editorials for fashion magazines, designed textiles etc.

You’ve worked with some big labels in the past. What do you think is the label that most shares your aesthetic? 
I am in love Balenciaga, it’s quirky, feminine yet super modern. Prada is always great, I always like their concepts and moods. I also really like the colours and textiles in Kenzo, I like what Antonio Marras is doing for the label and I feel very close to it it terms of style. 

You have your roots in Sardinia, and and now live in the UK. Do you think the Mediterranean flavor is imbedded in your art? How much is British and how much is simply Carolina coming through? 
The British have the great ability in mixing styles, combining vintage with the new, borrowing traditions from other cultures etc.. I love being in the UK as it is creatively a very daring country yet at times I get frustrated that everything is so ephemeral, fashion and trends here appear and disappear very quickly. For this reasons I often like to refer to my stronger italian roots, the traditional motives and and the more classic devices.

 You have a strong footing in many spheres: illustration, art direction, animation and dance. I get the feeling that you are always working on a ton of projects at once. How do you manage your time and which one is your first love?
Unfortunately that’s really true, I always work on far too many projects and at a time and it can become very complicated, but I have a number of very precious helpers that support me in most things I do. I love the balance of the the different projects and I think that’s what keeps me alive.
I see myself as a bit like a ‘concept store’, I use very different mediums but the philosophy behind it all is always coherent. Also I see many artist that concentrate on a very niche genre and after a while they struggle to stay relevant.  

9. Are there any illustrators/animators, past or present, whose work you really admire? 
I really like the art of Paolo Ventura, particularly the series ‘Winter Sories’ and the illustrations of Olaf Hajek.
In terms of animation, Fantasia has been the most influential piece for me. I still believe that Deems Taylor’s introduction in Fantasia is the best way to explain the relationship between music and image. Further to this I think that Oskar Fischinger animation in the film’s first segment, the Toccata and Fugue, is still so incredibly contemporary, something I wouldn’t be surprised to see as a back projection in a trendy summer festival like Sonar.

Tell us about your work for “Le fiamme di Nule.” Is there a bigger film making role in your future?   
‘Le fiamme di Nule’ is a short film combining live action and animation. After a visit to the village Nule in Sardinia I got very fascinated by their traditional ways of making textiles and I decided to write a story inspired by that place and their designs. There was something quite cinematographic in that scenario, an atmosphere that you rarely find in London. It’s a story of three weavers from taking part in a tapestry competition, the competition really happen but I told it with a very personal way. I wanted to portrait the context of a rural village with a stylish and nostalgic approach, so there is a strong sense of art direction and design in the film. 

Since the film I got commissioned to design some tapestries myself by the, the rugs where made but the artisans from Nule, it feel amazing.. I almost feel like I’m becoming part of my own film!

I would love to make a feature or a series, it has been in my mind for years. Last year I started working on some long formats with Warp X, everything is still in progress and to be honest I’m not rushing it.

Internet Warrior | Oh No Ono | Leaf from Carolina Melis on Vimeo.

Interview and Introduction – Daniel Franklin /  

 

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04/07/2011

The Editorial: Identità Virtuali

The Editorial: Identità Virtuali

We’ve talked here before about the changing typologies of objects thanks to revolutionary technologies that have made many separate objects obsolete (iFuture, iFatigue). We’ve talked about fine art and artisanal craft in the face of digital art’s low barriers to entry (Election Day / Every Day). We’ve even talked about quickening trend cycles and the impossible superficiality of pop culture in the internet age (Hugh Holland and the Lost Art of Living). But more importantly than any of these things, most of us haven’t truly stopped to consider that our very identities have been dramatically, irrevocably changed in the past few years. We are no longer singular “I,” but instead are plural “I.” We must exist temporally, and then we must also exist in the digital world to really exist.


In a fantastic exhibition which opened last month, Florence’s CCC Strozzina (part of the Palazzo Strozzi museum) explores this phenomenon in depth. Without coming across as anti-utopian, the exhibition attacks questions of identity and self in the age of perpetual connectedness.

The exhibition begins with the striking works of Robbie Cooper and Evan Baden, who both explore users’ physical and mental connection to their virtual selves. Cooper’s video works record children playing video games from inside their television screens to brilliant effect: they are their virtual avatar, jumping and flinching and concentrating intensely on the task at hand. Baden’s photographs show users seemingly hypnotised by their His subjects’ fixed gazes seem to indicate an abandonment of their physical space for a complete mental transfer into their devices.

Michael Wolf’s work, which is a tongue-in-cheek mining of Google Maps Street View images around Paris asks this question brilliantly. When our spaces are completely inhabited by surveillance and recording, just what part does the individual have in it? His subjects are passers by who were (usually) unsuspecting subjects of Google’s surveying, thus creating an interesting look at the relationship between spaces, people and the digital world. Chris Oakley’s work takes this one step further, by showing a department store surveillance system which uses data from social networks to classify shoppers. And Christopher Baker’s cacophony of Skype video chats bewilderingly puts into perspective the enormity of the digital world.

But beyond the awkward disconnect between the digital and real, we also see the positive power of social networks for activism. Diana Djeddi‘s work on the infamous viral video of a woman murdered on the streets of Iran breaks down the phenomenon and reveals the power of strong symbols used over a network (even if in error). Nicholas Felton’s obsessive self-recording work, demonstrates the power of real insight onto your own life and habits and provides a glimpse into the growing desire for self-monitoring.


In any case, it seems clear: there is no escaping your virtual self. Even those staunch holdouts who refuse to join Facebook are being catalogued, analysed and measured up. There’s just no hiding. But instead of our digital and non-digital selves being diametrical opposites, they have instead become compliments. Chances are, in fact, that in time the two will only merge more completely.

The profound questions raised by this excellent exhibition are sweeping and will be debated by sociologists and anthropologists and economists (and everyone else) for the foreseeable future. But move wisely. As your two selves merge to become one “real” whole, remember that it’s already impossible to separate the two. Dress well, speak well. Share well, type well!

Tag Christof – Images CCC Strozzina 

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01/07/2011

Direktorenhaus / New Textile Craft

Direktorenhaus / New Textile Craft

Next Tuesday Direktorenhaus will present a fresh exhibition of textile works. We last visited Direktorenhaus in November during Illustrative, and in the spirit of that event “New Textile Craft” is to be a celebration and exploration of a particular craft. New technologies and the the revival of old techniques has breathed new life into the medium, and it is showing enormous potential as a creative canvas.

It will be the first time Berlin outing for designers Signe Emdal from Copenhagen, Hao-Ni Tsai of London, Ruth Duff of Glasgow and Izumi Sato of Stockholm. It’s being called a labyrinthine “wintergarten of knitted materials, woven textiles, organic objects and hand-stitched fabrics – sounds lovely!

Opening party on Tuesday, July 5th starting at 8:30pm with DJ Siopis and Kyros, with the exhibition running through the 30th. (And since it’s during fashion week, it’s running alongside the Fashion Week Opening Party at Münze Berlin next door!) If you’re in Berlin, the event is not to be missed!

From the Bureau 

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24/06/2011

Art Basel / Francis Alÿs’ Fabiola

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Art Basel / Francis Alÿs’ Fabiola

The 42nd edition of Art Basel, the art world’s most prestigious fair, has just closed its doors with a great final act. The number of visitors and sales has improved over last year and it’s been said that the art market has once again hit a stride reminiscent of 2007-2008. Maybe it is an illusion, but the huge amount of people (and especially buyers), who invaded Basel last week are a clear indication of an art market recovery.

In any case, Art Basel is not only about the market, and during the fair, visitors can have a relaxing break from ‘fair stress’ profiting from the outstanding summer exhibitions proposed by the numerous art spaces in the city. This year, in addition to the wonderful exhibition by Brancusi and Serra at Beyeler Foundation, Shaulager presents, at Kirschgarten Haus, an unusual project by Francis Alÿs enitled Fabiola.

The contemporary Belgian artist, who lives and works in Mexico City, instead of displaying his videos, drawings, paintings or photographs decided to exhibit his own unique collection of around 370 Sunday painter, amateur and professional reproductions of Jean-Jacques Henner’s 1885 portrait of Saint Fabiola. (He is truly a versatile artist!) The collection is the result of about 20 years of flea market and antique shop searching that the artist carried out to find portraits of the Christian saint known as Fabiola (d. 399 AD).

Even if, at first glance, all the portraits seem similar – in each one the Saint is depicted in profile, turned to the right, wearing her red-purple veil – on closer examination, you can see many variations. Unique versions made on canvas, glass, wood and even realised with painted sesame seeds have different colour intensity, frames and textures, but also features and expressions that draw the attention to the details, sometimes subtle, which renders the portraits hypnotic. Drifting around the house, visitors can see the pieces arranged among the objects – porcelain, furniture and toys – of 18th and 19th century domestic life. Aligned in galleries or disposed as ornaments, the works sparks off a sort of game to find all the clearly visible or hidden pieces. Iconic representations of saintliness with all their religious references overwhelm the house in a way that recalls pop culture reiteration of images, giving them new meanings and creating an atmosphere of dialogue between sacred and popular.


Alÿs’ project represents a change in the act of collecting, which is more comparable to a sort of fetishism that comes close to obsession of the icon itself. Using this curious monographic collection that looks like a collective work, Francis Alÿs underlines the distinction between kitsch and valuable, original and copy, anonymous people and famous artists’ production and, of course, the role and structure of market and the issues of authorship.

Even If you missed Art Basel, it’s still worth a visit to the city to discover its cultural offerings, and the exhibition will run until August 28.

Monica Lombardi – Images courtesy Shaulager

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23/06/2011

The Adam & Eve Projects

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The Adam & Eve Projects

The Adam & Eve Projects takes the hazy idea of the “creative collective” to fantastic new heights. At once a sort of borderless community for our generation’s most influential creatives and a display case for their work and ideas, the initiative includes “the most exciting and important shapers and definers of our cultural landscape” In the collaborative spirit of Wonder-Room, the project draws on particularly relevant talents to produce a body of projects, and in the process becomes a fantastic cross-section of the creative landscape as a whole. It’s like a 21st century salon, with big ideas and lots of rule-breaking. Except cooler.

No medium is off limits, and contributors span the entire creative spectrum, from musicians to architects, to filmmakers, artists, fashion and industrial designers, and illustrators. Both individuals and organisations take part. New talents join regularly as the project’s influence grows, and the discourse and scope only makes it more interesting. In some cases the work created is even for sale (especially from the fashion designers), and the site is also a great place to score some seriously distinctive bespoke fashion.



Three of 2DM’s photographers are actively participating in the project. Skye Parrott, well known for her emotional snapshot photography, has contributed quite a bit (see her stream here), and her magazine Dossier Journal also contributes regularly. Roger Deckker, in his project billed West End Artisans, shot badass Jesse Hughes from The Eagles of Death Metal in grainy, tactile film. Roberta Ridolfi is also slated to contribute, and after her recent and fruitful stay over in New York she certainly has something good in the works. Other photographer participants in the project include our recent acquaintance, the very talented Kuba Dabrowski, as well as Ari Marcopolous, Nick Night, Cass Bird, and others.


Beyond photography, other contributors include lovely British design duo Jamesplumb, who we met at Spazio Rossana Orlandi for their solo exhibition there late last year, architect extraordinaire Bjarke Ingels, designer Sarah Applebaum, A.P.C. creator Jean Toitou, and way too many others to mention.

We’ll be watching closely!

Tag Christof – Images Skye Parrott & Roger Deckker courtesy Adam & Even – Special thanks to Scott Woods

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16/06/2011

Citofonare Trombetta / Wonder-Room

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Citofonare Trombetta / Wonder-Room

After a seasonal hibernation, Wonder-Room is back with a vengeance, in a new space with another not-to-be-missed artist / art director mashup. This time around, photographer Vicky Trombetta teams up with duo Studio Blanco for an event to showcase the heart of his work and his particular creative process.

An intimate glimpse into the artist’s personal space, the exhibition will be set up to recall his real-life workspace. It is his toolbox of inspirations, so to speak, and a window onto his creative process. On display will be selections from his body of work and his personal archive spanning two decades, all seen through the prism of the inspirations behind them. Citofonare Trombetta (“Ring Trombetta’s Doorbell”) invites you in for a look into the life of an artist who has lived through photos. It is a private piece of him on display.

The exhibition’s other filo conduttore – and an important sticking point in Vicky’s work in general – is analogue. Together with the personal research, memories, and experiences that have gone into the making of his photos, his images are heavily influenced by the space he exists in. Appropriately, the images will be displayed together with objects from everyday life, creating a real sense of their context and story.

Not to be missed is the event’s gift for the first to arrive at the opening. On a table constructed by the photographer will be boxes – from his archive – which will contain fifteen, very limited-edition silver prints in editions of nine.

Opening June 21 in a new venue on Via Arena 19 at February.

Tag Christof & Daniel Franklin

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08/06/2011

Contemporary Daguerrotypes / Beniamino Terraneo

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Contemporary Daguerrotypes / Beniamino Terraneo


With 160 megapixel digital cameras, tiny shoot-anywhere cameras embedded into our smart devices, and the general ubiquity of photography in our everyday, it’s quite a stretch to imagine photography’s origins. Long before compact rangefinders and 35mm film, and even long before Nadir’s popular portraiture and Talbot’s calotype, there was the daguerrotype. The technique was the first able to fix an image to a surface – and was therefore the first successful photographic method.

Today, the technique has long since been virtually abandoned, and there are only a few dozen photographers the world over working in the medium. Beniamino Terraneo is one of the very few who not only work in the medium, but whose work is also of extremely high quality. He has studied the medium extensively, and is today the only photographer in Italy working in daguerrotype.

Tomorrow the artist will show a large selection of his works in an exhibition at entitled “Alle soglie di una nuova modernità” (“On the brink of a new modernity”). For the exhibition, Maestro Terraneo took a spiritual voyage around Italy to find places and objects highly evocative of the time in which Louis Daguerre made his famous “Excursions Daguerriens” – the first ever photo album, and an excellent tribute to the medium’s inherent authenticity.


Daguerrotypes are rare and irreproducible treasures. Since they have no negative, each is a one-of-a-kind imprint etched onto a reflective sheet of silver. Their detail is extraordinary, yet their substance and particular chemical process lend them an otherworldly presence…

Join us tomorrow at JacopoBianco&Nero, 72 Via Solari in Milan, with several examples for sale.

Tag Christof

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07/06/2011

The Book Affair / Automatic Books

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The Book Affair / Automatic Books

Last Thursday and Friday Metricubi played host to The Book Affair. Tucked into a cozy corner of Campo San Polo under ruby red Elena Xausa-designed banners, the event curated by Automatic Books brought together an excellent cross-section of independent publishers working across Europe today.


And although the polizia showed up at one point (down, rowdy book nerds!), the event was a smashing success. There were a series of readings by the various publishing houses, and the entire event was set up to encourage conversation. Much like picking fresh fruit from an orchard, talking to the people who make the books you’re about to read is a revelation not to be missed.

Highlights included the intriguing works by France’s Incertain Sens (including one of its entirely handwritten notebook volumes), a large selection of works from Britain’s Bookworks, the Recession boxed set by Studio Blanco, and some seriously deep literature pondering existence, banality, politics, everything… We were happy to see a printed version of San Rocco, having admired their website and the concept behind their zine for quite some time, and were exposed to a host of stellar works from foreign publishes we hadn’t known before. And we were happy to see works in the flesh by 0_100, Secret Furry Hole, Kaleidescope Press, The Milan Review, and Wonder Room alumni Studio Temp.

As top-down publishing increasingly gives way to electronic, hybrid and user-generated formats, the creativity these independent houses bring to books is a promising look towards the future. While run-of-the-mill, straightforward books might one day cease to be printed on paper, the book itself has exciting new life ahead of it: originality, distinction, rarity. Not only are these publishers not abandoning the printed, physical book, they are carrying it forward in its most fertile conceptual space – they are creating new, original paradigms and designs for end users who will continue to appreciate books as treasures.

The Book Affair’s first outing was a fantastic start, and we hope it flourishes with time. Until the next outing!

Tag Christof

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