In 2003, a group of progressive Argentinian artists and writers developed a new alternative to the paradigms of corporate publishing that have dominated the distribution of books for decades. Cartonera publishing uses salvaged cardboard, cheaply photocopied pages, and tempera paint to create one-of-a-kind works of art that can vastly undercut the often prohibitive prices of commercially published books. In the six years since its birth, cartonera publishing has caught fire, extending its fingers into Mexico, Brazil, Peru, and much of the rest of Latin America. It's a fascinating cultural phenomenon, and the issues of access and community addressed by cartonera should be of particular interest to us as librarians.
Hot on the heels of Banned Book Week, and in conjunction with the Wisconsin Book Fest, UW-Madison has organized a cartonera publishers conference, featuring presentations by eight cartonera editors and an exhibition of some of the fruits of this unique form. In addition, SLIS will host a Make Your Own Cartonera workshop, under the experienced guidance of Aldo Medinaceli of Yerba Mala Cartonera. All the materials are provided, so stop by the Commons between 10 and 12 on Friday, October 9th, and get acquainted with the iconoclastic, DIY aesthetic of cartonera!
Cartonera Conference
October 8-9
Full Schedule of Events
Cartonera Workshop
Friday, October 9th, 10AM-12PM
SLIS Commons
Sunday, October 4, 2009
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