Markus Schaden
Sixth issue
itself is an art form on its own, so it seems a bit in contradiction with the spirit of sharing, especially if we consider that the book is a mobile exhibition. Also, this affects the photographers’ careers and future choices. What do you think about all this? The best example for the situation you delineate is Christina De Middel’s The Afronauts. The author decided not to make a second edition, which I think is a pity because there was a chance it could reach much more people. A great book with a small run, and the collectors jumped on it. They doubled the price nearly every six months, so now we have 5 available copies that are around 1000 British Pounds each. It is for sure an over hype, speculative thing. Christina is now a well-booked photographer, she travels the world, and so this decision really changed her career. Which is good for her, but it makes the process incomplete: this book could be for 15.000 people minimum because of its subject and nature, but in the end is owned only by 1000 people. “When do I really need to own a book? Just knowing about a book can be considered enough? Or just having a chance to look at it?” They are good questions. Personally, I have to say, after whole years spent with photobooks always in my head, I thought I would love to become a little bit detached from the craziness of this market. I decided not to be a collector – I just wanted to be a reader. A real reader. For sure I want to give a big space to the object, to the original print’s aura and spirit, but this is only one aspect. I think the content should be stressed, and it can be found and read also somewhere else rather than on paper: on the wall, in you mind, wherever. The very existence of a photobook is not only connected to the physical medium. If I own it, does it become important? No, it doesn’t. Its importance is contained in the idea. I think that if you produce a photobook, you want to make a great statement; you want people to change their own world through the story you’re telling. This is a side aspect for collectors, but for me it’s the most important thing. I give more value to the concept than to the collector’s item. Let’s talk about digital books. Which are their advantages and disadvantages? The second step for the museum will also to be an online gallery. What about photobooks that will never be printed on paper?
It’s not paper versus screen: they both have different characteristics, specific strengths and weaknesses. Of course I love the smell and consistency of paper, like everyone – but the e-book will give us big opportunities in terms of distribution, as well as in the research of out-of-prints, never published or hard-to-find books, and so on. On the artistic level, I am still waiting for an e-book which will really catch my attention. Something like Todd Hido’s Silver meadows: while browsing through his e-book, if you touch on the pictures, they start to move. This is great, because it experiments what a paper book could never do. But it needs crazy photographers to do this, authors who are keen of digital media. The same can be said for the publishing houses: at the moment, the market is still too small to make a comparison between digital and paper photobooks. We need more publishers and e-book stores. We also need critics and reviewers that can make a selection, like in the real world. Publishing houses must realise that the digital book is pushing the paper edition, not preventing it. Ed Ruscha’s books? I don’t have them, they are too expensive, but I would buy the digital versions of all Ruscha’s books, if they existed. Imagine, this would be a great market! Something that also students could afford. Concerning the online gallery, we will see what’s coming up. The existing e-books software is not designed to support picture-based books, so we are still searching for the final platform that can support a photobook’s digital version in the best possible way. Do you think photobooks are the best way/are necessary for photographers to share her/his work? For sure. What’s the alternative? Just showing prints? How self-publishing can effect a photographer’s career? The history of the independent photobook publishing is not old enough to make a complete evaluation. What I know is that in the last five years I’ve seen a lot of indie stuff which is now published by established houses – so, yes, that must have some effect on a photographer’s career, but let’s see what will happen in the future. Said that, self-publishing is a good start. It’s 171