Tonini Editore: Reviving the Artist's Book in Italy

Tonini Editore, an independent Italian publisher founded in March 2021 by Valentino Tonini, specializes in artist's books and monographs on printed matter. The press emerged from a family conversation about the lack of a solid, old-style artist's book series in Italy. Its flagship series, Autobiography, launched before the publisher itself, features works by contemporary artists such as Alessandro Pessoli, Patrick Tuttofuoco, Maurizio Nannucci, and Stefano Arienti. The first publication was "Richard Nonas. Collected Printed Matter 1971-2020," created in collaboration with Bruno Tonini, curator Alex Bacon, and Jan Meissner. Tonini Editore also produces books about books, including monographs, catalogues, and ephemera. Valentino Tonini believes the art publishing niche survives because artist's books are collectible objects akin to artworks, not easily replaced by digital versions. Upcoming releases include a new Autobiography by John Armleder featuring an unpublished work from when he was 15. Among their favorite publishers are Nieves and Steidl. The interview is part of Artribune's series on independent Italian publishing.