Tony White - From Democratic Multiple to Artists' Publishing: The Revolutionary Artists' Book

http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/664913?seq=10#page_scan_tab_contents

Argues that the the artists' book is no longer follows the ideals of a democratic multiple due to the introduction of the World Wide Web and print on demand services creating a platform for publishing as artistic practice.

'The transition from hands-on creation of an artwork to the effects of technological production allowed artists to remain conceptually linked to the finished product.'

Democratic multiples - Originating in the 60s (Roth)
Initially a reaction against the gallery system
'Interested in getting art off the wall, out of the gallery, and into the hands of a wide, democratic, populist audience.'

Judith Hoffberg - 'The development of commercial printing and production technology created an impetus for artists to produce unlimited editions, which were inexpensive and widely distributable.'

It was around the 70's that alternative methods of production and distribution were created

Lucy Lippard - 'Accessible in terms of form, but not content' - Needed to have a knowledge of art/subject if the work was to be understood

Lucy Lippard - 'One day I'd like to see artists' books ensconced in supermarkets, drug stores, and airports'

'Sometimes failed to gain market penetration due to issues such as poor printing and/or amateur design.' - As well as no barcode or ISBN number, the books we odd shapes and formats which weren't commercially standardised.

Printed Matter
'Institutionalised the democratic multiple by requiring that all artists' books available for sale be printed in editions of 100 or more..' - Helps to legitimise the artist book

'Many artist realised that they had 'total control over the end product' and they could experiment and express themselves in 'direct communication to a potential audience not mediated by critics, art historians, or other guardians of official culture.' - Stephen Perkins - Alternative art publishing..

1970s-80s
Artists were energised by greater access to printing facilities

By the mid 1980's the rapid development of computer technologies had a revolutionary impact on the self-publishing, production and design of artists books.
1985 - Apple released Mac Publisher and laser printer

At this stage the term demographic multiple was replaced by artist publishing
Greater opportunities with the connectivity of the WWW.

AA Bronson - former director of printed matter - noted that POD books cost too much to sell at retail. 'Cheap price' books (under a tenner) sell quickly, while the print-on-demand books in the thirty-to-forty-dollar range do not sell as rapidly'

'Those that are still involved in the production of artists' books in the spirit of the democratic multiple continue to struggle with pricing and sustainable profit margins.'
Time has moved onto the connectivity of the WWW.

Conclusion

The ideals of the democratic multiple still continue to inspire and get involved in artist publishing.