Artist-led Publications and Reading Platforms in India – Allan Parker
Artist-led Publications and Reading Platforms in India
Published 25.09.202. Reproduced by kind permission of commissioning website Home Sweet Home. Funded by ASAP*
Throughout his life, the German artist Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945) produced a number of monolithic books often made of lead and other materials, which he includes in his gallery shows and installations. Although they often contained indistinct photographic images and fragmentary texts, they were primarily presented as symbolic objects, representing knowledge, history, and the possibility of narrative arcs. This does not represent publishing in the accepted sense (multiple copies distributed by a third party to shops and libraries or available to order online), but it does mark one end of a range of possibilities for the book as a physical object.
The limitations created by the publishing industry regarding the content and format of books, the size of print-runs, and production compromises can restrict the creative possibilities of the form in a way that has encouraged artists and designers to look for alternative options to bring their work to their intended audiences. Publications for sale in larger bookshops are required to have an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) which makes the book identifiable and traceable, assigns it a category which will direct shops as to which shelf it belongs on, and makes it possible to identify the distributor, find out whether the book is available, and where it can be ordered from. Shops normally require printed spines (often with a specified minimum width) so titles can be identified on the shelves. Many bookstores prefer to order from larger distributors and suppliers as this simplifies the process of ordering and saves them the trouble of having to deal with multiple suppliers. Publishers commissioning large print runs benefit from economies of scale and, in the case of paperback fiction, for example, cheap production techniques.
Offset-lithography presses such as the Heidelberg Speedmaster can print 20,000 sheets per hour, or 300 sheets per minute. There will normally be eight or sixteen pages on each side of the sheet. The time taken in setting up and registration—and the paper wasted in the process—has led to offset lithography print-runs usually having a threshold of 300-500 copies. This means that smaller publishers are often unable to benefit from the economies of scale that larger ones enjoy. Consequently, their titles often cost more to produce per copy and they usually don’t have the marketing budgets and associated personnel available to established publishing houses.
High costs, low margins, and distribution issues are common to all independent publishing ventures and have given rise to a wide range of production models—from cheaply produced zines using low-budget technologies, such as photocopiers and risographs, to various kinds of digital printers, including digital offset machines such as HP’s Indigo printer which can provide high-quality print in smaller quantities. Beyond a certain number of copies, offset lithography generally becomes the most economical option.Independent publishing outlets are more likely to support irregular formats and experimental works produced by artists, designers, and photographers. These smaller outlets also provide opportunities for meeting, working, and discussions covering content, design possibilities, materials, and techniques—a process which is generally more formalized in larger commercial operations.
Many publications thus start their journeys in informal surroundings, which can act as a testing ground for suitability of content and formats. For instance, zines may be among the few formats that can be produced more or less on a whim, although content still has to be developed, layouts planned, and artwork created. Zine culture often serves a political stance within the publishing industry, which can be subject to editorial barriers. By circumventing traditional publishing channels, zines provide a platform for marginalized voices and alternative perspectives, challenging the hierarchical structures of mainstream media. This DIY approach not only democratizes media production but also embodies resistance against commercialization and censorship, fostering a space for free expression and grassroots activism.In the recent past, many independent publishers have emerged in India to address the need for alternatives to mass-producing, large-scale publishers. This essay highlights some of the ventures that occupy this space in various capacities and to different ends. continued…
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