behind NO-ISBN

Based on the collection of artists` books assembled by Bernhard Cella at the //Salon für Kunstbuch// under the umbrella term NO-ISBN and the compilation of data about related actors, the follow-up project //behind NO-ISBN// raises questions about the structure, self-definition and motivations prevalent in the community. In contrast to other genres, actors from varying backgrounds, ranging from fine arts over media theory and philosophy to areas situated within an institutionalized art scene, like cultural management, gather around the relatively young medium of the artists` book. Approximating an operational theory of art in the sense of Arthur Danto, we understand the artists book and the related discourse as resulting from the community`s activities, and its continuous definition, validation and reproduction of the medium. Therefore, research on the community represents an essential contribution to understanding the development and significance of artists` books in contemporary art. Drawing upon theories from cultural studies, motivational research and social network analysis, the project`s aim is to develop a detailed snap-shot from the community`s inner perspective. Following the tradition of Bruno Latour`s concept of networks, we deliberately assume a pro-relativist stance. Instead of attempting the construction of an overarching explanation, this approach targets a non- hierarchical mapping of the plurality of self-assertions and -definitions of actors. In addition to a compilation and analysis of the factors leading to the actors` devotion to books as an artistic medium, identifying structural moments in the publishing practice and establishing connections to topics of cultural studies, such as construction of artistic identities, materiality, and post-medial interdisciplinarity are central objectives. During the empirical part, actors connected to all registered publications will be questioned on their experiences and attitudes through interviews and an online survey. The analysis of collected data with methods of statistics and network analysis will allow to identify patterns and to answer fundamental questions derived from theory, and will finally be condensed into an image of the community represented by the NO-ISBN collection. The project`s course is accompagnied by artistic interventions that reintroduce aspects of gained research materials into the artistic discourse. During the publication of the study as an interactive archive-online-platform on the topic of artists` books and society, the facets of a dynamic artistic community will be negotiated and visualized. A three day happening similar to a fair held in cooperation with 21er Haus in Vienna in which representatives of all areas of the study will participate through discussion and activity concludes the project. Thus, it follows a chain of artistic interventions realized by Cella during the last 15 years. Jahrbuch Kunst, 1 m2 Kunst, Let the Artist sign your book , Salon für Kunstbuch, NO-ISBN, Looking at Signatures, does text inspire me?, collecting books , How to disappear

Based on the collection of artists' publications called "NO-ISBN" which was created by Bernhard Cella, the project team posed questions on the structure, self-definition, and motivations of community members. In contrast to other art genres, the actors which assemble around the relatively young genre of artists' books stem from a variety of fields from fine arts, media theory, and the philosophy of art to institutionalized art practice such as culture management. Research into this community is thus an important contribution to understanding the development of artists' books in the framework of contemporary art. Using social network analysis and an online questionnaire, the project team created an empirical approach to identifying and studying some of the characteristics of this community of authors. Prompted by both the relative novelty of using network analysis as a method for research in contemporary fine arts, the team opted for a mostly explorative approach. The empirical study suggests that members of the community behind the NO-ISBN collection are strongly affiliated with the arts (no matter the topic of their publications), relatively young (with the vast majority of participants being under 40 years old), and, at the same time, surprisingly disinterested in working with digital publishing formats, thus opposing the general trend within the publishing industry. Another striking characteristic of the community lies in the importance of institutions for networking and establishing connections among producers, especially considering the frequent assumption that self-publishing is the expression of a fundamental scepticism or criticism of institutions. Research results show that the community not only heavily relies on established public institutions, such as universities and political entities but also very much tends to establish its own institutions. Establishing a community platform which confers insights and data to a wider audience outside of the academic sphere (and will continue to do so after the project ends) was another important part of the project. The platform offers a space for different types of analysis, observations, and needs which stem from the practice of producers and also functions as an anchor point for an often loosely connected community. In addition to info graphics, video interviews and access to the database of NO-ISBN publications and the newly created database of actors, it offers a number of services that were developed to meet the specific needs of authors. Among these services, there is a specialized event calendar as well as an option to upload publications and thus insert them into the collection.