Vasta @ New York Photo Show April 6, 2018 The Watson

I will be exhibiting at the New York Photo Show Friday April 6th presented by Mary Martin, Ltd. 9:30am - 6pm entry $7, early bird @ 8am $20. The Watson Hotel 440 W 57th St. (9/10th). As always I will be presenting rare and unusual photographs in my areas of specialty: the body, nudes and erotica.

Don's miss this AIPAD shadow fair! Come for the early buying, a short 11 minute walk from the AIPAD location at Pier 94 on the Hudson River. Look forward to seeing you there!

Photograph attributed to Brassai for the Diana Slip Company, Paris circa 1930

 

 vasta@earthlink.net 

MoMA PS1 Art Book Fair ~ Scene at the Fair 2014

Four incredible days in Long Island City where an amazing variety of international artists, antiquarians, 'zinesters, publishers and booksellers once again descended on MoMA PS1. The New York Art Book Fair has become the not to be missed artist's book event in the world and at the moment, rivaled only by the show in Los Angeles, also produced by Printed Matter. 

A huge thanks goes out to all the Printed Matter crew, especially to show coordinator Jordan Nassar and show curator Shannon Michael Cane. See my previous post for the 
Vasta Images/Books stand.

Here is a glimpse of what I saw at the fair, some photos taken early in the morning prior to the arrival of thousands of attendees. No doubt there was an increase in this year's attendance as the pulse, the ebb and flow of people, never ceased. See you in Los Angeles in February!

click any image to enlarge

The Dome with Five Points in the background awaiting the wrecking ball. 

Just not right!

 Classics, jarred and preserved!

Looking down at the Werkplaats Typografie space

Shapes and structures

 Dieter Roth Literaturwurst 1969

 Second floor, the black room

 Very cool foam floored music room: please, no shoes!

 Shannon, show curator par excellence!

 8Ball (above) 'zine tent and Emma Kohlmann, watercolorist and 

artist's book publisher in the big 'zine tent.

 Oliver, one our first and favorite customers, all peace and 

burgundy colored!

My stand in the "I" gallery, as well as the stands of three colleagues

Kerry and Miles of Ampersand

Arthur Fornier and part of his incredible selection of counter culture 

magazines and newspapers setting-up.

 One of the original dealers of artist's books, Jean-Noel Herlin (right), who recognized the importance of art ephemera over 35 years ago.

Jan van der Donk (foreground) at the Maggs Bros. stand

 

 The Norwegian room...on to Bergen in November for their art book fair!

Frank exhibition in the (beautiful) boiler room

 

vasta@earthlink.net

VASTA EDITIONS: Hide & Seek Artist's Book Lugosi & Berquet

originally posted August '14

It is with great pleasure that I announce the publication of Hide And Seek, the book that will launch Vasta Editions, the publishing outgrowth of my antiquarian business. A natural, long anticipated extension of my thirty years in the vintage erotica trade, and a look to the future world of creative book publishing. Therefore, I am very pleased to present Hide And Seek a limited edition artist's book, a collaboration between Parisian artists Mirka Lugosi and Gilles Berquet. On the cover, exceptional model and muse, Tessa Kuragi.

updated September '16

The regular edition of 170 copies is completely sold out, a few copies of the middle edition ($275.00) and two copies of the top of the edition ($1,500.00) are still available. Cover model Tessa's career has taken off of late. See the marvelous photo piece in New York Magazine Jan'16 plus this online piece and go here for an interview with Tessa.

click any image to enlarge

Hide And Seek brings together the drawings of Mirka and the photographs of Gilles in a beautifully printed and designed limited edition book comprised of 200 signed and numbered copies. The book measures 9.5" x 13" with twenty-four pages of images and includes a deluxe edition of ten copies with an original collaborative artwork housed in a black box; plus twenty extra illustrated copies and the standard edition of one hundred seventy copies. Each book includes a separate, supplemental fold-out poster. 

Deluxe edition box and original artwork one of ten copies (two available) $1,500.00

I am very pleased with the process of creating the book, with Paris as the base, working with Mirka and Gilles on the concept and editing and finally, working with Gilles on the production in Paris and long distance from here in New York and eventually, the printing in Italy. For me the book is a total success as it meets the criteria of what I wanted to create. A simple, beautiful, sensual book bringing together the work of two exceptional artists produced in a small edition for two hundred lovers of the fantasies and dreams captured on paper with camera and pencil.  

Introduction to Hide And Seek

" After thirty years of discovering and selling vintage erotica, Hide And Seek realizes 
my ambition to publish limited edition artist’s books.

This first book is a collaboration between two exceptional French artists. Mirka Lugosi contributes her exquisitely detailed, psychologically complex pencil drawings. Gilles Berquet envisions a seductively luminous world in photographs of the female form.

The creativity of each artist is enhanced by their marriage, as inspiration flows and 
Muse meets Muse.

My initial idea was simple. Bring together the work of both artists to resonate on facing pages in a beautifully printed, limited edition book. During long distance discussions and meetings in Paris, the concept emerged: a selection of provocative images in twenty-four pages, featuring four fold-outs.

Turning the pages of Hide And Seek is a bit of sleight of hand magic, a bit of surrealistic juxtaposition, a bit of three-card Monte street hustle. An image appears and disappears as the fold-outs are opened and closed. Unfold the page again and the image reappears, a pictorial game of hide and seek.

Where is your favorite image hiding? "

 

  ~Joseph Vasta

vasta@earthlink.net