Everyone seems to envy young people just for being young. “Don’t waste these wonderful years,” “You’re so lucky,” “The best is yet to come.”
There are those who say, almost obsessively, that it’s vital to follow your dreams — no matter how hard it gets. They say it with wide eyes and dilated pupils, and for a moment you can’t help but wonder if maybe they’re really talking about their own dreams.
But what happens when a young person actually decides to take that advice? And what if that dream is to become an art publisher?
Often accused of lacking substance and of harboring unfounded ideas, young art publishers grapple with a rapidly changing world that requires them to change just as fast. But in which direction?
It is true that the ease and speed with which art books are produced today facilitates broad access to culture, and that’s something worth celebrating. Nonetheless, this same ease is gradually emptying books of their critical core, making them increasingly resemble a showcase: Who has the glossiest cover? Who carries the most influential name? Who is the most desperate to appear original?
Some publishers, both established and emerging, although open to welcoming cultural changes and perfectly aware of the latest trends, begin with an idea and remain faithful to it, despite the inevitable transformations imposed by society and, consequently, the market.
We have selected five of them, all very different from each other, often miles apart. But it is in this space that separates them — these uneven gaps — that the reader's freedom comes alive.
NERO EDITIONS (Rome, Italy) - The Essence of Experimental Publishing
“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” they say, but what if the cover is so much more than that? In the books of NERO Editions, design is just as important as the text itself. Bold, outrageous, always different in size, color and font, the covers reflect the strong and unapologetic spirit that drives the work of this daring Roman publisher founded in 2004. From handing out the magazine for free on the streets of the Eternal City to leading an international publishing house shipping worldwide, four young editors — Luca Lo Pinto, Lorenzo Micheli Gigotti, Francesco de Figueiredo, and Valerio Mannucci — represent the essence of experimental publishing.
Daniel Knorr, LIBER ARTIFICIS. Published by NERO.
Someone on Facebook writes that their books have a “rest stop aesthetic,” but the editors don’t mind the honesty of the comment, considering it another way of saying: immediate, fearless, sometimes violent. Just one rule: it has to respect the author’s tone of voice.
Nothing interests them less than traditional beauty and comforting stories, so no wonder they started NOT, a series dedicated to introducing radical, international authors — such as Donna Haraway and Mark Fisher — to the Italian publishing scene, still deeply rooted in familiar narratives. Postcolonialism, feminism, philosophy, and many other topics are explored, showing how art is never pure but always intertwined with diverse spheres of knowledge.
Perhaps NERO’s greatest achievement has been understanding that both aesthetics and content speak for themselves, creating a space where their respective voices, clear and defined, can coexist.
ÉDITIONS TEXTUEL (Paris, France) - Books on Art and Politics
They don't print books; they write stories about the world we live in — stories that often go unnoticed, covered by the noise of traffic, gossip, and advertising, and yet are vital to our sustenance as human beings.
Founded in 1995 by Marianne Théry and Luce Pénot in the most romantic city in the world, Éditions Textuel has always sought to bring to light stories that have little to do with romance, but everything to do with love.
With an attentive and critical eye, the two editors explore issues central to our contemporary world — with no intention of sweetening stories that are sometimes brutal, dramatic, or violent. Their goal is not to create sensationalism for a hungry public, but to tell the truth.
With an initial focus on photography — before expanding into performative arts as well — their books recount the inspiring stories of those who have always struggled to be seen.
For instance, Casa Susanna by Isabelle Bonnet and Sophie Hacket tells one of the many heartbreaking stories in the political history of sexual minorities in post-war America, while Les Yeux des Gaza — among the latest, most relevant titles — is a tribute to the freelance Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona, killed by the Israeli forces on April 16, 2025.
Guided by a strong social commitment, Éditions Textuel is well aware that reading is a political act. Despite all the ephemeral images and the social media trends that we see during our daily scrolling, we can still find the time to read about these lives that have so much to tell, that possess the stubbornness and the honesty that make the difference between a real story and mere content.
ART PAPER EDITIONS (Ghent, Belgium) - Books as an exhibition space
The complexity of a museum, the independence of an emerging gallery, and the accessibility of an artist-run basement — or, as Art Paper Editions describes itself, “Books as an exhibition space.” In the offices of the Ghent-based publisher, books are living things, speaking through materials, fonts, formats, and colors.
In a world so full of printed books, Jurgen Maelfeyt, the editor who founded the publishing house in 2010, asks himself two questions when reviewing proposals: “does it attract me? Does it need to be published?” In other words: is this book necessary? There are some stories that need to be told — it is Maelfeyt’s responsibility to find them.
Carla Rossi, Bellissima. Published by Art Paper Editions.
With this spirit, he decided to tell the gentle roughness and the brutal honesty of the nude body in Taking Off. Henry My Neighbour by Mariken Wessels. The book offers a glimpse into “a failed marriage, sexual frustration and voyeurism," a one-of-a-kind story that earned the Best Photobook Award at Les Rencontres d'Arles in 2016. More recently, Lusaka Street explores “Zambia’s photographic past” through the eyes of Alick Phiri, who documented “the process of self-determination and self-representation of black Zambians” from the 1960s through the 1990s.
At the heart of every project Maelfeyt pursues is an element often overlooked by many in publishing: the personal approach — “it’s always me that the artists are talking to, so that's a huge difference,” he told Lindsey OkuboOffice Magazine. And when asked how he knows if a project is truly worthwhile, his answer is blunt: “That’s pure instinct.” — And it is perhaps those few words that set him apart from other publishing professionals.
POSTMEDIA BOOKS (Milan, Italy) - Independent Art Criticism
The red logo says it all: simple, striking, consistent. Specialized in literary essays and academic textbooks, Postmedia is a comfort zone for every contemporary art geek. Every Italian art historian has had a volume in their hands, whether studying it late at night for an exam, or pulling it off a shelf while browsing a bookstore at the train station.
Based in Milan, Postmedia was founded in 2002 by Gianni Romano — professor, art critic, and—someone says—vaguely resembling Robert De Niro… Shall we call him the star of Italian art publishing? After all, only someone with such boldness could have introduced some seminal works by international authors such as Rosalind Krauss, Nicolas Bourriaud, and Hal Foster, in the Italian cultural debate. Thanks to this audacity, Postmedia has played — and continues to play — a defining role in Italian art publishing.
Joseph Beuys by Claudia Mesch, Postmedia Books.
Aware of the difficulty of writing and theorizing about art that is “in the making” Romano approaches his work with caution and precision, engaging in continuous research and in-depth analysis. While many focus on the timeless beauties of Italy, romanticizing the past and overlooking the present, Romano seeks out the stories that have shaped today’s contemporary art scene — bringing them to light for an international audience of curious, independent thinkers.
The Postmedia catalogue reflects a tireless effort to update the Italian publishing scene, strengthen its relations with the international context, and make art criticism more accessible to all. Yet accessibility should never be mistaken for superficiality: as Romano said, “Art does not tolerate ignorance — it’s a law.”
SNAP COLLECTIVE (Copenhagen, Denmark) - Accessibility as a Publishing Strategy
Someone said that “The thing that holds artists back more than anything is finishing and sharing projects.”[1] Yes — and money.
In a world so deeply tied to elitist and exclusionary thinking — careless about the wasted talents and missed opportunities — Snap Collective has adopted accessibility as its guiding philosophy in producing high quality artists’ books. Founded in 2020, the Danish publisher works with creatives worldwide with no barriers, preconceptions, or exclusions.
“Liquid Phenomenon” by Gabriele Viertel, published by Snap Collective Publishing.
It all begins with a pre-order campaign, when the book is available on the website and can be purchased worldwide at a special price. Once the agreed-upon threshold of books purchased is reached, they proceed with full production and distribution. “This model allows us to focus on what matters most — bringing beautiful art books to the market while supporting artists in realizing their publishing dreams,” they explain.
Someone defines it “too trendy,” but perhaps this is simply an old-fashioned reaction to a strategy that allows artists to work on a blank page, without the economic pressure that often stifles creativity and ambition. After all, isn’t that what an artist is supposed to do? Doesn’t every artist deserve a chance?
Whether it’s an exhibition catalogue, a coffee table book, an essay, or an artist’s book, every publisher must confront the same question before giving the final green light: why?
Now and then, with certain rare books, it’s enough to hold them in your hands to hear them whisper the answer — an answer imprinted in the very paper they’re made of, in the ink that soaks through their pages. The clearer the motivation, the firmer the response, the more the book will be able to speak — and to breathe.
These five publishers stand out for the clarity and conviction of their answers: profoundly different, and precisely for that reason, each with much to say.
[1] Appeared on a Notes to Strangers manifesto (@notestostrangers on Instagram)
