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September 25, 2009
In cooperation with the University of Wisconsin, and the Madison Public Library, this art display is available for viewing at the Oscar Rennebohm Library through October 15.
Cartonera Publishing
The cartonera publishing phenomenon began in Buenos Aires in 2003 and was spearheaded by writers and artists who were interested in reconfiguring the conditions in which literary art is produced and consumed. They came up with a progressive new publishing model that challenges and contests neo-liberal political and economic hegemony by making literary works available to all. The texts contained in these books are printed on inexpensive paper so that these books can be distributed at low cost. Several cartonera projects have established social and educational elements to their program and are using the creation of the cartonera books to redefine the relationship between "the book" and the public.
The cover of each cartonera book is unique. These book covers are hand made using recycled cardboard (cartón), tempera paint, and other salvaged materials. The authors of the books' texts are named in these publications but the names of the artists who have created the covers of these books are unknown, as these artists do not sign their works.
The Conference
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is organizing the conference Cartonera Publishers: Recycling Latin American Bookscapes; Libros cartoneros: Reciclando el paisaje editorial en America Latina that will take place on October 8th-9th, 2009 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The purpose of this conference is to bring together the community of scholars, and members of the different Cartonera publishing projects that are all related to the revolutionary publishing initiative that started in Argentina in 2003 and that has now spread throughout Latin America. It will take place during the Wisconsin Book Fest and will involve the first reunion of editors from eight cartonera publishing houses from: Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay. For more information: www.library.wisc.edu/cartoneras/
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