13 Oct 2008

ArtistBook International at the Centre Pompidou

Seventh edition of the international salon of publications, prints, ephemera, multiples and books by artists.

An Extrinsèque event.
24th, 25th and 26th October 2008
Pompidou Centre, Forum -1

A celebration of printed matter in all its forms – multiples, limited editions, rare publications, free publications, ephemera, and other small press and journals produced by artists – A.B.I. provides the perfect occasion to discover or rediscover artists and their works.

43 publishers and dealers in the field of artist publications will be exhibiting at A.B.I. 2008.

12 countries will be represented: Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Monaco, Netherlands, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland and United States.

More than 650 artists, both historical and from the contemporary international scene, will be featured in the participants' catalogues.

30 partners have created an original programme of events relating to artist publications specifically for A.B.I.

The salon

ArtistBook International lies at the crossroads between the creative and commercial aspects of contemporary artistic expression, making it the most singular artistic event in Paris's autumn season. Through their continuing support, prestigious partners such as the Pompidou Centre and the Fiac have lent recognition to A.B.I.'s contribution to this specialist field.

Creating the first specialist salon for books by artists, in Paris in 1994, was a real gamble. In 2008, we can confidently say that this gamble has paid off, as A.B.I. has been instrumental in stimulating new diversity and depth in artist publications.

Originally conceived as an itinerant event, A.B.I. visited several of the world's greatest cities before returning to Paris in 2005. Since moving to the Pompidou Centre, in 2007, A.B.I. has highlighted the impetus publications can give to creative expression and the relevance of the publishing world to contemporary art.

The 7th edition of A.B.I. heralds the creation of the ArtistBook Prize. Awarded in partnership with Neuflize Vie, a great patron of contemporary artists, the prize will reward a new and original work by an artist. The winner will be chosen by an international jury drawn from different facets of the art world.

Invited artists:

The Japanese artist and composer RYOJI IKEDA has produced a new and original work for the A.B.I. catalogue statement.
The young French artist VIRGINIE YASSEF has created a repertoire of aphorisms to accompany A.B.I.'s promotional materials.

The programme has been organised into two streams:

The Pompidou Centre (Forum-1 and the small cinema) will host a series of publisher events, meetings, screenings and exhibitions.

Elsewhere in Paris and the Paris region, as well as in Strasbourg, Nice, Marseille, Sète, Lyon, Rennes and Saint-Yrieix, arts centres, documentation centres, and private and public institutions will organise exhibitions, presentations, meetings, performances, artists' videos, installations and educational projects.

Artist books, multiples, ephemera... a growing market

With the renewal of interest from collectors, museums and libraries, artist publications have become a new target for major collectors of contemporary art.

A.B.I.'s objective is to support this trend and to introduce a breath of fresh air into the art market, as artist books are the only sector where it is possible to acquire the works of famous artists at reasonable prices: Ed Ruscha, Carl André, Robert Barry, Peter Downsbrough, On Kawara, Robert Morris, Allen Ruppersberg, John Armleder, John Baldessari, Christian Boltanski, Lawrence Weiner, Martin Kippenberger, Joseph Kosuth, Sol Lewitt, Louise Bourgeois, etc.

The quality and diversity of the works exhibited by A.B.I.'s partners, together with major international exhibitions at leading museums, have reinforced the momentum provided by ArtistBook International. In addition, auction houses, such as Christie's and Sotheby's in London and New York, are holding ever more sales of limited editions and multiples.

New bookshops are opening and Paris must contribute to this movement by creating a calendar of events dedicated to artist publications.

See the complete programme on www.artistbookinternational.com