The Art of Publishing

Jamie Camplinn recently published in the Art Newspaper a very interesting article about the art publishing industry. As appraisers, we typically love our books and many are extremely proud of the vast libraries on appraising and product knowledge. The article ask the question "is there a crisis in art book publishing". Not surprisingly, the article states that art publishers love art, but there are some fundamental challenges which need to be addressed in order to regain a strong footing and return to prosperity.

The challenges include reaching consumers including display and the negative impacts on profitability due to internet sales, second is also related to profits and the ability to recoup costs, competition from low level publications, with the final obstacle being how to write about art.

The article is well worth reading.

Camplinn states Is there a crisis in art book publishing? Most people who love art—collectors, gallery-goers, curators, critics, dealers and artists themselves—understandably take it for granted that there is an audience for books about it. There’s a touch of arrogance about this, though an engaging version of arrogance because of the positive emotions involved. If your passion is Greek bronzes or Winslow Homer or Olafur Eliasson, you needn’t worry whether your enthusiasm is shared—unless, of course, you publish art books. Art-book publishers also love art. Currently, they tend to be suffering not from arrogance but from amnesia about their trump card. In any other business, this amnesia would be called “lack of confidence in the product”. In publishing it tends to involve too much muttering about the recession, instead of a vigorous focus on marrying the practical (conceiving, creating and bringing to market the books) with the precious (their subject matter—art). The challenges are real and substantial, but they are only obliquely connected with the economic downturn that is currently creating problems for the commercial art world, as well as for museums and other cultural institutions. Of these challenges, three are intensely practical and one is a little more philosophical, but with practical consequences.

To read the full article, click HERE.