Beginning in 1976 — before there was even a public location— Printed Matter started to produce mail-order catalogs in formats ranging from folded flyers to bound books. Mail order was a critical component of Printed Matter’s mission to make experimental art in book form available to the widest possible audience, including those living outside of urban cultural centers. As a whole, the Printed Matter catalogs comprise one of the most extensive bibliographic records of artists’ books and reflect the trajectory of contemporary art as it evolved in real-time.
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Printed Matter Catalogs
Index of Catalogs:
4) Catalog of Artists’ Books, staple bound, December 1976, cover.
5) Catalog of Artists’ Books, staple bound, December 1976, inside detail.
6) Catalog of Artists’ Books, staple bound, December 1976, inside detail.
7) Catalog of Artists’ Books, staple bound, December 1976, inside detail.
8) Catalog of Artists’ Books, staple bound, December 1976, inside detail.
9) Catalog of Artists’ Books, staple bound, December 1976, inside detail.
10) Printed Matter, Inc. Artists’ Books Catalogue, glue bound, October 1977, front.
11) Printed Matter, Inc. Artists’ Books Catalogue, glue bound, October 1977, back.
12) Printed Matter, Inc. Artists Books’, fold out poster, c. 1977/78 (design attributed to Sol LeWitt).
13) Printed Matter, Inc. Artists Books’, fold out poster, c. 1977/78 (design attributed to Sol LeWitt).
14) Artists Books’ Printed Matter, fold out poster, c. 1978, front.
15) Artists Books’ Printed Matter, fold out poster, c. 1978, inside detail.
16) Artists Books’ Printed Matter, fold out poster, c. 1978, back.
17) Artists Books’ Printed Matter, staple bound, September 1979, cover.
18) Artists Books’ Printed Matter, staple bound, September 1979, inside detail.
19) Artists Books’ Printed Matter, staple bound, September 1979, back.
30) Beyond the Pamphlet / Send Money Printed Matter, Inc. Books by Artists, staple bound, c. 1981, back.
31) Wholesale Catalog Books by Artists, staple bound, c.1982, cover.
32) Wholesale Catalog Books by Artists, staple bound, c.1982, inside detail.
33) Wholesale Catalog Books by Artists, staple bound, c.1982, inside detail.
34) Wholesale Catalog Books by Artists, staple bound, c.1982, inside detail.
35) Wholesale Catalog Books by Artists, staple bound, c.1982, inside detail.
