Phaidon Editor Michele Robecchi on Art Publishing and His Decade at the House

Michele Robecchi, an editor at Phaidon for a decade, discusses his role overseeing the Contemporary Artists monograph series, which produces four to five volumes annually with a 16-18 month timeline. He emphasizes the collaborative process with artists and multiple critics, likening it to curating shows on paper. Robecchi, who previously worked at Flash Art and Contemporary, moved to London not as a "brain drain" but a return. Phaidon, he notes, has expanded from art to architecture, design, photography, and cookbooks, with chefs now seen as artists. The publisher avoids commissioned books, maintaining control over design and editorial choices, except for collaborations with the New Museum and Design Museum. Robecchi praises Italy's art publishing scene but advocates for specialized staff. He debunks the death of print, citing initiatives like Edicola 518 in Perugia. Upcoming monographs include Mark Bradford, Trevor Paglen, and Sharon Hayes, with a posthumous Jannis Kounellis project in progress.