In the face of the Kindle, the Nook, the iPad and a shrinking publishing market, boutique publishers and book arts are thriving.
Corinna Zeltsman, a book artist and administrative aide at the New York Center for Book Arts, said demand for classes in bookbinding has risen substantially in the last year. “Book arts have entered the mainstream because of a technological backlash and a new generation of artists and designers wanting to use their skills for something other than the digital realm,” she said.
Ugly Duckling Presse in Brooklyn is one publisher in the city creating boutique books, using letterpress and hand assembly for many titles. Business is booming – the company has published 17 books so far this year, compared to 24 in all of 2009. Matvei Yankelevich, one of the company’s directors, said submissions and demand are higher than ever. In the accompanying audio slideshow, he and one UDP book artist, Normandy Sherwood, explain why.
