I Want a Book About My Art: Where to Begin

A book about one’s own art often seems to an artist something too big, too expensive, too obscure — a project at once alluring and intimidating. “Who would ever write about me?”, “What is there to say about my work?”, “I just paint pictures, make jewellery, do graffiti.” To these doubts are added entirely practical fears: a book is complicated, slow and costly, and there is no experience of making one. Such a desire can smoulder for years and remain unrealised, even though there is already enough material for a serious and substantial publication.

The finished works no longer fit in the studio, many are in galleries and private collections, there are exhibitions and years of work behind you — but how do you turn all this into a coherent story about yourself?

A book about an artist does not begin with choosing a printer, nor even with selecting reproductions. First you need to understand for whom and for what purpose it is being created, and what exactly it should say about you and your work.

First, the book’s purpose is defined

A book may be needed to present yourself to gallerists and collectors, to accompany an exhibition, to record a particular stage of your career, or to preserve your artistic legacy. The format, size and structure of the publication depend on the task at hand. A presentation album is built differently from a monograph, and illustrated biographical memoirs require a different approach from a solo exhibition catalogue.

How the concept takes shape

The work begins with a conversation. First we need to get to know each other and establish a relationship of trust — almost as in a conversation with a psychologist. You send me your works, and I begin to understand how your art can be presented. Then I study exhibition catalogues, publications, reviews, letters and other materials — online and in print, and in your archives. Gradually the inner logic of your artistic journey becomes clear: recurring themes, changes in artistic language, important encounters, turning points and periods.

My task as an art historian is to rise above the artist’s biography and see their work as a whole within the space of art history. I see each artist’s work as part of a broader artistic system, connected to its time, its tradition and the general processes of culture.

Often, thanks to this perspective, the artist sees their own path as a whole for the first time — in a different frame of reference, where individual works come together into a continuous story. This can strengthen confidence in one’s own path and help one feel part of a wider artistic process.

The stages of work on a book

1. The idea. We define the purpose, the audience, and the intended size and format of the publication.
2. Gathering materials. We talk, you provide materials (your works, links to websites, documents), and I study them.
3. Structure. We shape the contents of the book and decide the balance of text, reproductions, and biographical and reference material.
4. The text. I write the art-historical essay, biography, commentaries, descriptions or captions for the works.
5. The illustrations. We select works, arrange the sequence of images, and prepare photographs for layout.
6. Publication. Once the manuscript is approved, editing, design, layout, colour correction and preparation for printing begin.

What is worth preparing in advance

A fully systematised archive of your work is not essential. It is useful to have photographs of your principal works, information about exhibitions, activities and publications, and a short biography. If your materials are kept haphazardly, they can be gathered, verified and put in order during the preparation of the book.

A book about an artist is not an enlarged portfolio but a professionally constructed account of a body of work. It helps present the artist to viewers, specialists, galleries and collectors, and becomes part of their legacy.

Would you like a book about your art? Write to me — we will discuss the idea, the materials you have and the possible format of the publication. Learn more about my work with artists on the For Artists page.