The San Francisco Art Book Fair (SFABF) is pleased to announce its seventh year at Minnesota Street Project’s contemporary art campus. Open July 19 through July 21, 2024, with a preview the evening of July 18, the SFABF is a free annual multi-day exhibition and celebration of printed material from independent publishers, artists, designers, collectors, and enthusiasts from around the world.

SFABF places the unique history and perspectives of the Bay Area in conversation with national and international publishing communities. Free and open to the public, SFABF features artists’ books, art catalogs, monographs, periodicals, zines, printed ephemera, and artists’ multiples. Throughout the weekend, visitors to the fair are welcome to experience a diverse range of talks, performances, book launches, special projects, exhibitions, and signings across the Project’s contemporary art campus, as well as select off-site projects and events. As of 2023, the SFABF has welcomed more than 80,000 visitors. The fair continues to expand its horizons, offering more in-depth programming related to art publishing at three different venues on the Minnesota Street Project contemporary arts campus, new exhibitors, and exciting fundraising editions from Bay Area artists.

Adding to the excitement, we’ve included a new exhibition space at 1150 25th Street, Building B, Suite B. In addition to the 85 exhibitors at 1275 Minnesota Street, 1150 25th Street will feature 45 publishers whose practices are dedicated to accessible and inventive forms of bookmaking and publishing.

Presented by the Minnesota Street Project Foundation, SFABF’s mission is to help sustain the creation and distribution of printed material through support of the independent publishing community from the Bay Area and beyond, and to expand our reach to new audiences.

In the past 10 years, Risograph printing has shifted from being a niche printing method to a fully realized and ubiquitous method for creating artist publications and ephemera for micro and small press publishers. Curated by Zach Clark and Amy Burek, the exhibition Unfolding Duplications: Contemporary Risograph Publishing brings together artists and publishers from across North America who use Risograph printing as a central element in their works. The publications in Unfolding Duplications range from accessible comics and zines to limited fine press editions, underscoring the broad spectrum of artistic possibilities that Risograph printing offers.

Works like Temporary Services's "Book Waste Book (link is external)," which explores the ecological impact of publishing, encourage contemplation on printing practices and their environmental implications, inviting dialogue on sustainability within the artistic community. Amelia Johnson's "Unmarked Moments (link is external)" brings attention to humble, everyday objects, prompting readers to reflect on what is valued, used, discarded, or left behind. This emphasis on the intersection of concept and Risograph's unique print methods further illustrates its potential as a medium for exploring and conveying meaningful narratives. Bringing together contemporary Risograph artists and publishers, Unfolding Duplications: Contemporary Risograph Publishing offers insights into how a specific printing technology can evolve into a medium for creative expression while retaining the spirit of innovation and experimentation.

Opening Reception July 19th

The East Bay Print Sale is a 4-day event hosted each December in Berkeley, California, by Max's Garage Press. Free to the public, this event features around 200 local + international print artists and independent presses, showcasing over 15,000 handmade prints. Participants receive 72% of all sales and the remainder supports Max's Garage Press community print studio.

1006 Pardee St., Berkeley CA 94710

A Magic Mountain will be tabling at this year’s LAABF at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. For fair hours and ticketing, visit https://laabf2023.printedmatterartbookfairs.org/

THE 2023 SAN FRANCISCO ART BOOK FAIR
Presented by Minnesota Street Project Foundation
July 14 – 16, 2023
Preview: Thursday, July 13

A Magic Mountain: Booth Z49

Minnesota Street Project
1201 + 1275 Minnesota Street
San Francisco, CA 94107

Public Hours - Free admission
Thursday, July 13: 6pm – 10pm
Friday, July 14: 11am – 6pm
Saturday, July 15: 11am – 6pm
Sunday, July 16: 11am – 5pm

Saturday, 3-4pm in The Lounge:
A TIME MACHINE: From personal to community archives, with Adriana Monsalve, Alex Arzt, and Marc Fisher, moderated by Lindsay Buchman
While it has been written about extensively, the archive continues to circulate in contemporary art discourse. Image-making, publishing, and the history of print coalesce into a complex, provisional space. Through this lens, A TIME MACHINE examines how archival histories inform artists’ books by asking independent publishers Adriana Monsalve (Homie House Press), Alex Arzt (A Magic Mountain), and Marc Fisher (Half Letterpress / Temporary Services) about the urgency and role of archives in their work. This conversation explores what we might learn from the suture between past, present, and future while centering on how personal and community archives continue to inspire generations of artists’ books. Presented by Seaton Street Press.

10th Anniversary of the East Bay Print Sale at Max’s Garage Press will feature prints by A Magic Mountain. Max’s Press is where I learned to print on the Riso, so if you’ve never been and want to learn, come check out this amazing space and community.

Preview Night: December 8th 3pm-8pm
December 9-12th 10am-4pm

https://maxsgaragepress.com/