The Art Book in Context is curated by Art Critic Nicholas Norton and Prof. Dr. Timotheus Vermeulen.

Welcome by the curators of the seminar Timotheus Vermeulen and Nicholas Norton and by Tanja Sæter, founder of and running Kunstbok Oslo.

The Seminar includes both English and Norwegian language. Please see language details in the program.

TORPEDO Bokbad med Bjarne Melgaard: Torpedo relanserer nettstedet Katalog for kunstnerisk publisering med en samtale mellom Bjarne Melgaard og Erlend Hammer om boken Casanova in the South Pacific: a Novel (1995).

Torpedo, founded in 2005, is a non-profit bookshop, library and publisher devoted to the promotion and production of artists' publications, theory and critical readers.

Language: Norwegian

Break from 13.10-13.30

ÅAAÅ Books is an artist-run, independent platform for publishing and distributing books by, for, and about art and artists. Founded in 2020 in Oslo by Ragnhild Aamås and Stian Ådlandsvik, the platform aims to explore publishing as an artistic practice and a space for dialogue and exchange.

Stian Ålandsvik is currently exhibiting at Kunstnernes Hus and ÅaaÅ brings Ålandsviks collegue Lutz Reiner-Müller for this presentation.

Language: English

Espen Birk introduces his world of comics, self publication and Zines.

Espen Birkedal is a cartoonist from Stavanger who has self-published fanzines and books since 2016. In 2024, he started the micro-publishing house Tørt Papir publikasjoner, where he publishes collaborative projects focusing on high-quality print and paper.

Language: Norwegian

Artist Statement by Anne Tveit Knutsen

In 2004, I graduated with a master’s degree from Bergen Academy of Art and Design. I previously trained and qualified as a nurse, and this influences my work as an artist. In my art, I focus on people in different life situations, and I believe fervently that society should meet everyone with the same respect, regardless of their resources, life situations and positions. People I meet, as well as relationships I experience and injustices I see, motivate me to make art. Especially the people who never shout the loudest. I express myself mostly through video, film and artist books.

Language: Norwegian

Kay Arne Kirkebø is a visual artist and game designer, from Førde, living in Lillehammer. Works primarily with drawing as an expression and publishes his special video card games on TikTok under the name @skogdal

Language: Norwegian

Break from 14.30-14.45

Hva vil det si å drive et lite kunstbokforlag i Norge i dag?

Samtalen undersøker hvordan Hverdag Books (Moss), etablert og representert av kunstner Jessica Williams og Mondo Books (Tromsø) representert av Henrik Sørlid tar plass i den norske kunstbokscenen, og hvordan små kunstforlag bygger forbindelser mellom det lokale og det globale.

Samtalen er ledet av Carina Elisabeth Beddari, litteraturhistoriker og medredaktør i Hakapik som nylig lanserte en ny satsing på anmeldelser og økt omtale av kunstnerbøker.

Language: Norwegian

Seminaret avsluttes med høytlesning av forfatter Lars Mørch Finborud og hans nye bok Tårnet. Fyrtårnet. etterfulgt av spørsmål fra salen.

Tårnet tronet ytterst på en åsrygg som kastet seg ned mot fjorden, omkranset av en hundremeterskog med livsbejaende furutrær. Nede i gryta skuet man opp mot spiret uansett hvor man befant seg.

En kunsthistoriker får jobb på Tårnet som «levende arkivar». Den unge mannen dras inn i en forloren museumslabyrint, hvor en direktør har styrt med hard hånd i femti år. Da arkivaren ved en tilfeldighet gnukker frem en ånd i toalettskåla og oppdager en grusom maskin i institusjonens indre, begynner selve Tårnets fundament å vakle.

Tårnet. Fyrtårnet er en ‘highbrow horror’ som baserer seg på museumsvesenets rivende utvikling de siste tiårene.

Language: Norwegian

The Art Book in Context is curated by Art Critic Nicholas Norton and Prof. Dr. Timotheus Vermeulen.

Welcome by the curators of the seminar Timotheus Vermeulen and Nicholas Norton and by Tanja Sæter, founder of and running Kunstbok Oslo.

The Seminar includes both English and Norwegian language. Please see language details in the program.

A conversation with artists Una Hamilton Helle and Sanna Charles, moderated by curator Monica Holmen.

Una Hamilton Helle is the creator of Becoming the Forest, an arts and music publication, inspired by how the Northern hemisphere’s dense spruce forests defined the aesthetic and philosophy of the musical subculture of black metal.

Sanna Charles published the book God Listens to Slayer, a collection of photographs from the frontlines of Slayer fandom, a startling insight into the tribal world of heavy metal worship.

Monica Holmen works as curator at Nitja Senter for Samtidskunst and she also freelances as editor, curator and writer and has contributed to numerous texts, journals and magazines. She is also a concert junkie.

Language: English

Break from 13.30-13.45

Founded in 2017, SMØR Press is based in Trondheim and is a publishing and printing house run by the designer Joana Bruno and the artist Carlos A. Correia. SMØR specializes in riso printing technique to produce art publications, fanzines and other printed matter.

Language: English

Jelsen Lee Innocent is a Haitian-American interdisciplinary artist based in Norway. His research and studio practice examine the lasting impacts of imperialism across social hierarchies, built environments, and consumer culture.

Language: English

Charlotte Thiis-Evensen is an artist based in Oslo and works with documentary photography, video and installations. In her art, she touches on everything from close family relationships, everyday rituals, cultural histories and questions related to identity and work.

Language: Norwegian

Mark Pezinger Books is a publisher based in Vienna, Austria, run by graphic designer Astrid Seme and artist Thomas Geiger. At the core of their practice is a commitment to experimental approaches—ranging from books printed on waste to a pocket book series and even invisible books.

Language: English

Break from 14:45-15:00

I to måneder satt kunstner Christa Barlinn Korvald i Oslo tingrett og tegnet rettssaken mot gjerningsmannen bak terrorangrepet under Pride 2022.

Tegninger fra 25. juni-rettssaken (nå kjenner blyantene ryggen, kinnet, skjegget) (Foot Books, 2025) er en dokumentarisk og personlig betraktning som kombinerer rettstegninger, tekst og bilder for å fortelle om en sommerkveld som høres kjent ut, om det å vitne, og om hvordan man tegner noen som er villig til å drepe deg.

Foot Books is an independent publisher specializing in contemporary drawing, artists’ books and zines. Based in Oslo, Norway.

Language: Norwegian

Break from 15.30-15.45

Hvordan har kunstkritikken historisk vært en samtale mellom kritikere, kunstnere og publikum? Halvor Haugen, redaktør for antologien Den andre kritikken (Tekstbyrået, 2025), møter Nicholas Norton til en samtale om boken.

Boken samler 13 tekster fra 1700-tallet og frem til 1970-tallet av blant andre Denis Diderot, James McNeill Whistler og Christian Krohg, utformet som iscenesatte dialoger og tilsvar på publiserte anmeldelser.

Language: Norwegian

We proudly present the exhibitors of 2025. To read more please see the Exhibitor page or click on the book tower on the front page.

A Female Gaze, Addition Edition, Amalie Rugård Jensen, Anastasya Kizilova, Anna With + Birplehus, Anne Tveit Knutsen, Anne-Marte Eidseth Rygh, Ansten Press, Becoming the Forest, Bored Wolves, Caroline Borge, Casa Jaguar Studio, Charlotte Thiis-Evensen, Chloé Malloggi, Christina Leithe, E. Skodvin & M. Verbeek, Eli Lea, Ena Johanna Rathgeb, Espen Birk / Tørt Papir, FUKT Magazine, Foot Books, Foreningen Verkstedet, Forloren Skildpadde, Gateavisa, Gespenster Steinlia forlag, Guttormsgaards arkiv, H. S. Claussen & K. Hembre, Heavy Books, Hverdag Books, Ingrid Bjørnaali, Janicke Schønning, Jannecke L. Christiansen, John K. Raustein, Jørund Aase, KHiO Library, KORO - Kunst i offentlige rom, Katja Høst, Kay Arne Kirkebø, Kim Andre Hagen, Kinakaal forlag, Kristine Fornes, Kunsthall Dikemark, Kurt Johannessen, LATERNA Olsen & Skjeldal, Lin Xue, Local Gr0up, Lord Jim Publishing, Lundebye Press, MAPS KHiO Art & Public Space, MONDO BOOKS, Malene Økland, Malin Sæther Andresen, Marianne Boberg, Marius Presterud, Mark Pezinger Books, Maya Økland / Minutiøs, Morten Andersen / Shadowlab, Mount Analogue, Multinational Enterprises, Multipress, OCA - Office for Contemporary Art, Oslo kommunes kunstsamling, Papiravfall, Petrine Vinje / O publikasjoner, Plantas Press, Prosjektrom Helium, Publishing Publishing Nordic & PUBLIC RETREAT, Randi Bjerkås Lyngra, Reyes Santiago Rojas (TERRAZA), Rising From the Ashes Press, SMØR Press, Sanna Charles, Santolarosa / Centralbanken, Skald forlag, So much luv in dis club, Spector Books / Eline Benjaminsen, Spesial Nord, TILT Harpefoss hotell, TKS forlag, Tekstbyrået forlag, Terje Abusdal, Torpedo Press, Uten tittel, Veronica Bruce, Vibrational Semantics, Ylve Thon, Zamân Books, antipodes café, shaon M., ÅAAÅ books.

Meet them at Kunstnernes Hus, November 15-16, between 12.00-17.00 both days.

Kunstbok Oslo & Seminar

A conversation between librarian Kristine Jakobsen from Oslo National Academy of the Arts and art critic and writer Nicholas Norton about how the library collects artists' books and builds their collection.

KHiO - Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo has been collecting artists' books from students for years and holds a substantial collection of books. The library are bringing a selection of their collection to be exhibited during Kunstbok Oslo.

For Northing, the Bergen-based organisation that dedicate itself to fostering cultural exchange between Norway and East Asia, books are more than vessels of knowledge—they are bridges that connect cultures and nations.

Ben Wenhou Yu, Director of Northing, will share a series of publication projects that have evolved into dynamic cross-cultural initiatives.

Northing runs Kinakaal publishing house and the bookstore Elephant books in Bergen.

An Introduction to Tidsskriftet Mellom by Editor Belén S. Urbye.

A conversation between Artist Ane Mette Hol, Graphic Designer Petri Henriksson and Timotheus Vermeulen, writer, art critic and Professor of media, culture and society at the University of Oslo.

A conversation between Inger Eri, Senior Advisor at Kulturdirektoratet and responsible for the art book lifting done in the recent years with her collegues at Kulturdirektoratet and Kristian Wikborg Wiese, Editor of printed matter at the National Museum of Art who recently curated the artist book festival "Kunsten og boka. En festival om kunstnerpublikasjoner" at the National museum with editor and music journalist Audun Vinger.

A conversation between Editor Abirami Logendran and chair of the Board Geir Haraldseth.

Ingen hater messing / Nobody hates brass is an exhibition and book by Kai Gjelseth. The book and exhibition was presented by Ellef Prestsæter at Blaker Gamle Meieri / Guttormsgaards archive in September. Ellef Prestsæter runs Guttormsgaards archive and has invited Kai Gjelseth to talk about his exhibition and new book as a part of Guttormsgaards arkivs participation in Kunstbok Oslo. Kai Gjelseths book will also be for sale.

Gjelseth is a Norwegian graphic designer, calligrapher, illustrator and photographer and he received the honorable award Klassikerprisen by Grafill in 2010.