ArtsLibris: 15 years claiming the artist's book

In an increasingly digital world, the book is reclaiming its place as an object of art and reflection. This year, Barcelona hosts the fifteenth edition of ArtsLibris , the International Artist Book Fair, Photo Book and Self-Publishing , which transforms the Convent dels Àngels of the MACBA , from today until Sunday, into a living space with more than 140 publishing projects from from all over the world.

ArtsLibris was born in 2009 as a small fair specializing in artist publications, photo books, contemporary thought, self-publishing and digital formats. In its beginnings, it had as its headquarters Arts Santa Mònica, a space that hosted the first ten editions until, with the constant growth of the fair and in the wake of the pandemic, it was moved to the Sunday market square in the neighborhood of San Antonio. Since then, it has grown to consolidate itself as a reference in southern Europe, with editions also in ARCOmadrid and ARCOlisboa , which have opened the doors to a greater participation of international publishers. Despite this global expansion, the fair keeps its connection with the local scene intact. This edition has a prominent presence of Catalan publishers, who represent 52% of the total, and includes projects linked to the main museums and art centers of the city of Barcelona. Diversity is one of its characteristics, hosting both large established publishing houses and small experimental projects.

Ecocidios (un poema envenenado), Dionisio Cañas (2023)

Over the course of the weekend, around 50 activities will be distributed between the spaces of the Chapel, the Espai Fòrum and the Gothic Hall of the Convent, with a central focus on the 'Speakers Corner'. This space will be the epicenter of debates and presentations, where more than 70 recognized figures in the sector, including authors, artists, photographers and art critics, will share their ideas and projects. Among the outstanding works, the photo book EIVISSA 1953 will be presented, with images by Marcel Giró and Palmira Puig ; PICASSO-BARCELONA. A cartography, by Claustre Rafart i Planas , awarded with the Prize for the Best Book Published by the Ministry of Culture ; and Inviting Life, a collective work of ephemeral architecture and art created by Elisava students in the Mies van der Rohe pavilion. This latest proposal reflects ArtsLibris' commitment to collaboration between the academic and artistic worlds, and to continue feeding the growing interest and reflection around artist publications, an increasingly rich field with a production more and more abundant.

On the other hand, the presentation of the book Ecocidios, with a dialogue between the author Dionisio Cañas and Manuel Borja-Villel , on Saturday, will be a preliminary to the opening of an exhibition based on an artist's publication, at the RocíoSantaCruz Gallery .

PICASSO-BARCELONA. Una cartografia, Claustre Rafart i Planas (2023)

The ArtsLibris fair is not limited to just the fair: it has its own publications within the AL Series and this year, Fina Miralles is the chosen artist with the book Avec Plaisir, which includes her poems and works. Tribute will also be paid to two essential figures in the history of Catalan art, Colita and Mari Chordà , through artistic objects created especially for this edition. As usual, ArtsLibris awards two outstanding awards: the ArtsLibris Banc Sabadell Award , which recognizes publications that combine powerful ideas with unique formats, and the Eloi Gimeno Award , dedicated to awarding the best photobook.

This year's program also includes the exhibition 'This Story Will Never Get Finished', by Natasha Christia , produced by the Museum of Modern Art in Tarragona . This exhibition, part of the SCAN International Festival of Photography , offers a visual reading of the Mediterranean through thirty international photo books, connecting personal memories and collective narratives. At the same time, the Loop Festival provides the audiovisual with the screening of 'L'adaptation Manifeste' by the French artist Aurélien Froment .

The relevance of a fair like ArtsLibris lies in its ability to claim the artist's book as a democratic object, accessible and full of creative potential. In a world increasingly dominated by virtuality, the need to touch, leaf through and interact with a book becomes an almost subversive experience. ArtsLibris manages to connect tradition and modernity, consolidating the book as a means of artistic expression and a gateway to contemporary art. At the same time, it becomes a space to reflect and rethink the future of artistic publishing in all its forms.

Guants amb la creació de Mari Chordà per a la 15 edició d'ArtsLibris.