Printed Matter, Inc. proudly announces its ambitious new initiative, The NY Art Book Fair, New York City’‘s first annual fair devoted to contemporary art books. Over 40 international exhibitors, from major distributors to antiquarian dealers and independent publishers, will occupy a dual-level 20,000 square foot space. The fair will take place November 17th through 19th, 2006, in the heart of Chelsea’‘s gallery district at 548 West 22nd Street. Admission to the fair is free. A preview event on Thursday, November 16th will benefit Printed Matter, Inc.

Philip Aarons, President of Printed Matter’‘s Board of Directors, said: “The NY Art Book Fair re-establishes New York as an international center for art publications. In recent years more and more New York art bookstores have closed and art museum bookshops have been downgraded. Printed Matter believes in the importance of placing New York back on the map for those who have an interest in contemporary art publications. Books exist as one of the most democratic forums for the investigation and appreciation of contemporary art.”

In honor of Printed Matter’‘s 30th anniversary, artists Richard Prince, Matthew Brannon, and Chris Johanson are creating new limited editions for the fair’‘s opening night benefit. Tickets are available at three price tiers from the benefactor level to an affordable friend ticket. Each level of admission is accompanied by a limited edition.

A series of events will introduce and celebrate art publications during the course of the fair; these book signings, discussions, workshops, and performances recognize the place of art publications in the contemporary art dialogue. This includes an event hosted by Creative Time celebrating Who Cares, their new publication on art and social action.

Confirmed fair participants to date include 2nd Cannons Publications, Los Angeles, CA; 871 Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA; Anartist, New York, NY; Artforum, New York, NY; Art In America, New York, NY; Art Metropole, Toronto, Canada; Art On Paper, New York, NY; Boekie Woekie, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Coracle, Tipperary, Ireland; D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers, New York, NY (including Aperture, New York, NY; Charta, Milan, Italy; Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern, Germany; Steidl, London, UK; Walther Koenig Buchhandlung, Cologne, Germany; and many other American and international museum and fine publishers); Elk, New York, NY; Fluens Forlag, Copenhagen, Denmark; GAS Fanzine, Copenhagen, Denmark; Granary Books, New York, NY; Imschoot, uitgevers, Ghent, Belgium; Irving Zucker Art Books, New York, NY; J&L Books, Atlanta, GA and Brooklyn, NY; Marcus Campbell Art Books, London, UK; Mark Pawson, London, UK; Michael Lowe Gallery, Cincinnati, OH; The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA; Nieves Books, Zurich, Switzerland; Onestar Press, Paris, France; Open City, New York, NY; Parkett, New York, NY and Zurich, Switzerland; Pork Salad Press, Copenhagen, Denmark; powerHouse, Brooklyn, NY; Printed Matter, Inc., New York, NY; r.a.m publications + distributions, inc., Santa Monica, CA; Revolver, Frankfurt/Main, Germany; RGAP (Research Group for Artists Publications), Cromford, UK; Andrew Roth, New York, NY; SmartBooks, Rochester, NY; Space Poetry, Copenhagen, Denmark; Steven Leiber, San Francisco, CA; stop over press, New York, NY; Taschen, Los Angeles, CA; Texte zur Kunst, Berlin, Germany; Ugly Duckling Presse, Brooklyn, NY; USELESS, Brooklyn, NY and London, UK; Wako Works of Art, Tokyo, Japan; Weproductions, Deuchar Mill, Scotland; White Columns, New York, NY.

Poster design by “Garrick Gott”:http://garrickgott.net/