We talked with Seattle Art Book Fair co-organizers Jayme Yen and Tom Eykemans about the upcoming event on May 11–12.
Q: Let’s start with the basics: what is an art book?
A: We often think of the great definition that the Vancouver Art Book Fair provided some years ago: “An art book can be thought of as a work of art that comes in the form of a book.” Art books are often made by artists and designers, can be non-narrative and nonlinear in content, and push conventional notions of what books can be in their use of physical materials and format. Many things fall under the art book category, from zines (DIY; self-published) to high-end artist books (high production value; small print runs) to everything in between. Topics range from every theme under the sun (including theory, politics, social justice, art criticism, how-tos, and more) to showcasing eccentric art collections to exploring artistic expression; while content might span graphics and illustration, narrative texts, photography, or poetry. What unites them all is a spirit of experimentation and an enthusiasm to bypass the structures of traditional publishing in order to make art more accessible to different audiences.
Q: What motivated you to start an art book fair in Seattle?
A: Having both attended and exhibited at other art book fairs—particularly the Los Angeles Art Book Fair, the New York Art Book Fair, and the Vancouver Art Book Fair—we were repeatedly reminded of the absence of a similar event in Seattle. Seattle is a designated City of Literature, so of course there are already many book-related events here; from poetry, literature, and antiquarian to comics, anarchist, and artist books. But an art book fair includes all of those genres and more as seen through a lens of thoughtful design, creative experimentation, innovative materials, and inclusive accessibility. We wanted to share this experience with Seattle, and we wanted to see it done right.
Q: What was the most surprising thing you learned from the first year of the fair?
A: We first conceived the idea of a fair in 2019, which was to launch in spring 2020. But after years of frustrating pandemic delays the fair did not premiere until 2023. Four long years of mostly online planning was an isolating experience, and left a lot of room for doubt and second-guessing. We fortunately were able to host several online and pop-up events along the way, met some wonderful advisors, and assembled a great team of volunteers. But we still had absolutely no idea how the fair would be received. We were thrilled (and relieved) that it was a rousing success and provided momentum to continue the tradition!
Q: What are you looking forward to the most this year?
A: Planning, curating, fundraising for, and thinking about the fair can take 363 days of the year. The two days of the event are a testament to the collective energy and output of the creative community we help bring together. It never feels quite real until the doors open to the public—so we’re most looking forward to 11:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 11.
Q: What is your most treasured book on your shelf at home and why?
A: TE: The Lines That Make Us by Nathan Vass. I’m unfairly choosing a book that I helped design and publish. Seeing this thoughtful and unique book evolve from concept to reality was a process full of serendipity, collaboration, and escalating creativity. No other project I have been involved with has touched on so many themes that are important to me. It is a very pure book, full of empathy, humor, insights, and an unshakeable belief in the power of humanity through community. It is a collection of alternating stories and photographs bound with an unconventional wrap-around paperback flap, and despite (or hopefully because of) these art book qualities, it found and connected with a wide audience.
JY: JFL: What does ‘Why’ Mean? by the artist and curator Octavian Esanu. The text of the book is made up of hundreds of questions culled from interviews and essay by other artists and art critics—just question after question, from the philosophical (“CK: What if we were to agree, like Burber, to read Rodchenko’s anecdotal and everyday description of the Paris object-world as struggling to express the profound structural differences between capitalism and socialism, at the level of the commodity and bodily experience?”) to the mundane (“JK: What do you mean?”). Esanu rearranges the questions into distinct sections—essentially forming new essays out of found material—and each quotation is meticulously credited, with footnotes sometimes rising to take over an entire page. I find the book so funny, and so profound. I think of it as my first real encounter with a book whose content is unlike any other, offered by a small publishing house (J&L Books) that creates books like no others—in essence, it’s my first art book. I think about it all the time.
Q: What can people expect when they come to the fair?
A: People who have never heard of or been to an art book fair should expect to find something for everybody: from inexpensive zines to book-like projects made by artists to poetry chapbooks to museum catalogs to books on politics and theory to rare and out-of-print books. Over eighty artists, designers, publishers, and community organizations will be selling and sharing their work throughout the beautiful and historic Washington Hall. We’re also hosting a series of talks, panels, films, and excursions related to all aspects of bookmaking, along with hands-on activities that allow visitors to experiment with printing and bookmaking techniques. Additionally Creative Cafe, which is operated by Creative Justice on the first floor of Washington Hall, will be open during fair hours, keeping everyone fueled throughout the weekend. Entry to the fair and all the public programs are free; we’re committed to an event that is welcoming and accessible to all.
Q: What should people be sure not to miss this year?
A: The fair takes up ALL three floors of Washington Hall—make sure to explore each one! Drop in on a program or two if you’d like to learn more about making and distributing books from the artists themselves. And don’t miss the centerpiece of this year’s fair on the ballroom stage: the Climate Emergency Reading Room and Community Alter, a participatory installation exploring environmental themes curated by ANEMONE and Alex Barsky of Zine Hug. Read a Q&A with ANEMONE and Alex Barsky here.
Seattle Art Book Fair
May 11–12
Seattle, WA