Volume 31, No. 3, Dec 2008
From The Editor
On the eve of my departure to Paris, where I hope to visit some artist bookshops and report back to you, as well a seeing the collection at the Pompidou for a special viewing, I wish a colorful autumn, full of productivity and promise, and perhaps a change of regime. I urge you, my American subscribers, to please go out and vote on the 7th of November and vote well. We are in a need for change, for drastic change, to protect our civil liberties and our relative freedom, which has been diminished again and again during these past few months.
As a result of a very hot summer and the hectic beginning of the fall art season, I am overwhelmed with documents, books and journals. As a result, rather than do things hastily, this issue of Umbrella Online will not include book reviews for tradebooks, but I promise that I will send you all those book reviews in a supplement to this issue in early November. So hold tight, there are some wonderful books out this season. And I apologize.
It is a lively season of book shows as well as many Book Fairs, some competing with each other, which calls for another look at schedules and calendars. But which ever book fair seems to appeal to you either geographically or time-wise, you will meet artists who make beautiful books and publishers who take a great interest in promoting and distributing them to a larger audience. So support your book fairs and enjoy the explosion of so many artist book events. The calendar is rich!
I am expecting this week to hear an announcement that the 28 years of Umbrella will be completely online, accessible, and completely searchable! You will probably hear it from the source, and I will make my acknowledgments and congratulations in the November supplement. I do not want to spill the beans, but I am so anxious to share 28 years of Umbrella with the larger art world. A labor of love often should be shared, and thanks to the generosity of two universities and a team of remarkable librarians, we are on the cusp of an announcement.
So see you in November in print or in person somewhere where artist books are being seen, consumed, and given as gifts for a future holiday season.
— jah
