Publishing as method: Ways of Working Together in Asia




First published April 2023 by mediabus, Seoul
Conceived and edited by Lim Kyung yong and Helen Jungyeon Ku
Contributor interviews conducted by Lim Kyung yong, Helen Jungyeon Ku, and Hyun Seewon
English translation by Vicki Sung-yeon Kwon, Yi Eunsoo
Korean translation by Lim Kyung yong, Helen Jungyeon Ku, and Shim Kyusun
English copyediting by Yi Eunsoo
Designed by Sulki and Min
Printing and binding by Top Process
15x21cm / 446pages / Korean, English
ISBN: 979-11-90434-43-0 03600
Price: 35,000 KRW / 28 Euro 


This book explores art publishing today, in particular, the practices of small-scale publishing in Asia. Focusing on “Asia” and “small-scale publishing,” it attempts to contextualize and read together the increasingly important publishing practices in contemporary art within historical and regional contexts. The book features a diverse range of interviews and essays contributed by various actors and entities in the field, such as publishers, artists, curators, collectives, distribution spaces, and designers. Especially, the interviews conducted since 2020 shed light on the complexities and possibilities of artistic practices in the post-pandemic era. Publishing as Method is a research project on Asian small-scale publishing that mediabus, a publishing collective based in Seoul, has been conducting since 2020. It has been realized as an exhibition (October 30–December 20, 2020, Art Sonje Center), publication, and documentary film.


Contents
15 Publishing Practices from Asia: Toward a New Universality —— Lim Kyung yong
35 Asia Art Archive
49 Art Book in China
59 Art and Culture Outreach
69 Adocs
77 Drafting (for) The Book Society —— Binna Choi
89 Micro-Logistics: How Books Connect to the World —— Helen Jungyeon Ku
101 Ágrafa Society
113 Audio Visual Pavillion
121 ISBN 93600: Neither a Catalog nor a Monograph —— Hyun Seewon
141 Bananafish Books
151 Bangkok CityCity Gallery
157 Institute of Barbarian Books
165 Chang Wen-Hsuan
173 Writing in Taiwan Contemporary Art —— Huang Chien-Hung
187 da-in-print
195 Display Distribute
205 Getting a Move On: A Logistics of Thought towards Print and Publics —— Elaine W. Ho
223 Fotobook DUMMIES Day
233 Further Reading
243 Grey Projects
253 Hardworking Goodlooking
261 The Books That Make Enemies —— Yoon Wonhwa
273 Helicopter Records
281 Irregular Rhythm Asylum
289 Kayfa Ta
299 Kim Nuiyeon & Jeon Yongwan
305 Min Guhong Manufacturing
315 NANG
323 Seendosi
329 Sharjah Art Foundation
335 Singapore Art Book Fair
341 Slow Burn Books
349 ซอย | soi
359 Temporary Press
375 Writing New Narratives and Publishing Practices in China: In Conversation with Carol Yinghua Lu —— Lim Kyung yong
389 the shop
395 Tokyo Zinester Gathering
401 White Fungus
409 Yellow Pages
415 Yellow Pen Club
425 Zine Coop