Kyle Schlesinger on Cuneiform Press, Poetry, and the Economics of Art

Kyle Schlesinger, a poet, professor, and publisher, founded Cuneiform Press in Buffalo in 2001 to publish experimental work by emerging poets. The press began with simple chapbooks, such as Patrick Durgin's Color Music (2002), produced using low-fi methods like a Print Gocco silkscreen kit. Schlesinger cites Robert Creeley as a major influence, noting his lessons in collaboration, presence, and curiosity. Cuneiform has expanded to include projects like a book collecting essays by musician Will Sheff of Okkervil River, which Schlesinger produced in a limited edition over a year. Schlesinger discusses the challenges artists face in making a living, referencing conversations with artists globally and critiquing the impact of MFAs and the National Endowment for the Arts. He emphasizes the value of failure and maintaining artistic integrity, quoting figures like Lou Reed and George Herms. Schlesinger balances digital and analog practices, teaching New Media Theory while preferring tangible experiences like reading books and visiting studios. He criticizes corporate platforms like Spotify for harming musicians' livelihoods, advocating for direct support through purchases and concert attendance. The interview touches on a Katherine Bradford exhibition at Adams and Ollman in Portland and Schlesinger's plans to write a book about Bill Callahan while living in a camper on a California beach.