Since the beginning, Archivorum has supported the work of independent art publishers by collaborating on artists’ book publications and collecting their complete catalogues for its libraries in France and Italy, ensuring public and comprehensive access to their full body of work. This interview marks the beginning of our first editorial series dedicated to the publishers we work with. We are thrilled to launch it with Zolo Press and take you behind the curtain of their outstanding editorial work.
Based between Brussels and Mexico City and founded by Angela Garcia-Baudin and Arno Baudin, Zolo Press has been publishing books and editions in close collaboration with emerging and established artists since 2017. Moving fluidly between artistic practices and book formats, they turn each publication into a unique object through an organic, relationship-based process with the artist. Published as part of our Archivorum xM series, Forms of Contingency and Patterns of Imminence by artist Gabriel Kuri was our first collaborative book. The same year, Archivorum also acquired their complete catalogue for its public library in Turin, strengthening its commitment to preserving independent publishing.
Here we spoke with them about book making, technology and the challenges faced by independent publishers today.
How did Zolo Press begin, and what was your vision for the project at its inception? How has this initial idea evolved since you started?
We started Zolo Press back in 2017, when we moved from NYC to Bogotá. We lived in Colombia for two years, then relocated to Mexico. Before deciding to produce our own books, we were already working within a larger design studio, collaborating with several publishers and artists. Still, we felt the need to be involved in the whole production process: from deciding which artists we would work with to developing the best concepts for a book; from selecting the writers and collaborators we would involve to following up production and distribution. We always felt one of the best parts of publishing art books is meeting people and spending time in artists’ studios, and we wanted to be fully involved in each of these steps.As publishers, we were, and still are, interested in giving visibility and support to the practices of artists we like and believe in, our main goal being to establish and communicate a strong editorial line. In terms of general vision, we felt there was something of a gap between, let’s say, exhibitions’ catalogues, artists’ books, and art publications in general. The need to inform, archive, and document would sometimes clash with a truly interesting and creative approach to an artist’s practice. That’s the reason why we have been trying, from the very beginning, to translate artistic practices into engaging book forms that would look at a publication as both a conceptual and emotional object. So, if we needed to explain how these ideas have evolved since we started, we’d say that, more than ever, we are looking to use the book as a medium in all its conceptual, emotional, aesthetic, and practical potentials.
What does independence mean to you as a publisher, and what are the primary challenges associated with it?
Independence is both a choice and a privilege. It allows us to do the books we want to do, with the people we choose, using the time, care, and love we feel appropriate. But as is often the case, such freedom comes at a real cost in terms of time, energy, and money. Although we collaborate with many people throughout the publishing process, Zolo is essentially a two-person operation. As such, we have to wear many different hats, learn fast, and work nonstop. We know all too well how hard it is to keep the economic side afloat while publishing the kind of books that we publish.
Independence also involves many moral choices. Take the production of our books, for instance: we’ve been printing in Belgium and Holland, not only for the amazing quality. We’ve also been interested in supporting the local craft and economy rather than simply chasing cheaper deals abroad. We’ve also been careful with the distribution side of our titles, refusing to sell books on platforms like Amazon, for instance.Obviously, all these decisions directly affect our economic model, but we believe that how we do things is as important as the final result.
How are your collaborations with artists typically initiated?
As we mentioned before, studio visits are an essential part of our practice. They are the backbone of our publishing decisions. So, in terms of how collaborations with artists go, it always starts with reaching out to them, visiting their studios, and initiating a conversation. A key aspect of Zolo’s editorial line is to put together a project from scratch. Again: independence and responsibilities. This is not to say that, from time to time, we don’t work on projects proposed to us by artists, galleries, or institutions. Over time, we built enough of a network to trust that some of the people reaching out might actually share or challenge our interests and ethos. So that happens as well. But generally speaking, we like to initiate our collaborations, contact the artists directly, and create the conditions for an initial conversation in their studios.
What are your perspectives on publishing from two very different parts of the world? What differences do you notice regarding readership and the artists you work with?
It’s a true privilege to be able to publish between Mexico and Belgium. It rapidly became part of what Zolo is and how it functions. Mexico is a country with an incredibly rich cultural history that, over the years, has become a key player in the global cultural dialogue. Belgium has a deep, well-rooted history of print and bookmaking and can still offer exceptional production values through the expertise of printing specialists and paper producers. Altogether it’s a win-win situation.
That said, over the years, we have built an international network that has allowed us to work with artists from many parts of the world, from the USA to Japan, from England to Colombia and Chile, from France to Algeria, Argentina, Germany, and Cuba. As such, we see Zolo as an international publisher. Still, working with Mexican artists such as Gabriel Orozco, Damian Ortega, Frieda Toranzo Jaeger, and Bárbara Sánchez-Kane has been an amazing experience that has rooted us to this country and its cultural scene. And from what we can tell, the readership and overall interest in art and culture in Mexico are pretty amazing. The Index Art Book Fair is one of our favorite events of the year, and it is always a great reality check for public interest and readership. The last edition, held in January 2026, drew about 5,000 visitors per day. Aside from the organisers’ great merit, those numbers say a lot about the Mexican independent publishing scene and the overall interest it attracts.
All in all, we are interested in establishing an international editorial line while remaining rooted in a local scene. This also goes for the different languages we publish in. Although English is a must, we have been working on bilingual books in Spanish, French, and Japanese. These endeavors have been incredibly refreshing and rewarding.
What does it mean to publish an artist’s book without constraints, as a “carte blanche”? Regarding our collaboration on Forms of Contingency and Patterns of Imminence by Gabriel Kuri, what did this project mean to you and what was the process of working with the artist?
It goes without saying that working on a book without tight budget constraints is a real luxury. It is a rare opportunity for research, allowing us, as publishers, to create a unique object that could become integral to the artists’ own practices. Gabriel Kuri’s book is a good example. Gabriel has been a dear friend for many years. He introduced us to the local art scene in Mexico City when we moved there. He’s an amazing artist with such a unique conceptual approach, aesthetic, and attention to detail. Working with him felt like a true collaboration; the project would improve every time we met. Gabriel even started a new series of drawings based on the one he did for the book. So the publication ended up being a vehicle for a body of work and the starting point for a new series. He probably doesn’t know this, but we were a bit stressed to collaborate on a project with him. He already has so many amazing books, and we were nervous thinking what we could add to such an incredible list.
That being said, the “carte blanche” was given to Gabriel Kuri. As designers, producers, and publishers, we never start from a blank page. Every project starts from the artist’s work, practice, and approach. And that’s really what’s more exciting to us: finding ways to turn what’s already there into a book that might allow something new to happen.
What is the significance of the art book in a digital era, and how does technology impact your work?
We always felt the importance of producing books “with a soul”, objects crafted in such a way that the reader could feel the human and editorial presence behind them; objects made with thoughts, love, and care in comparison to all the mass-produced items that we are surrounded by. In a way, art books and books in general – or any object you could interact with in a meaningful and emotional way – feel very important, especially nowadays. That’s also why we feel that, if deciding to print something, the object better be interesting. It needs to be more than just the support of its content. It needs to create an emotional response, both in its content and its shape. Our books should be more than the sum of their parts. We feel that, given the complex cultural panorama we face, craft might as well be the future, and bookmaking has to be part of this conversation.Still, it is undeniable that both our lives and our press have been very much shaped by technology: we live relatively isolated in the Mexican countryside, yet we produce books in Europe and work online with artists from around the world.
Where do you see Zolo Press in the next five years, and do you have any upcoming projects you would like to share?
We wish ourselves five more years of books, tacos, and waffles. In terms of imminent projects, we are about to release Lilies by David Gilbert and Baby Blue Benzo by Sara Cwynar, edited by y Lucas Blalock. We’re also working on upcoming titles, among others, with Oren Pinhassi, Carole Vanderlinden, Eva L’Hoest, Rafa Esparza, Sky Glabush, Em Rooney, Henry Curchod, Sebastian Silva, Isabelle Albuquerque. So, lots more to do and discuss.
Thank you Zolo Press!
Photo Credits from top to bottom :
© Left : Golden Hours by Ann Veronica Janssens and Michel François / Right : Working session with Marie Hazard, Paris
© Left : Brice Guilbert’ studio, Brussels / Right : Printing of Ernesto Burgos’ first monograph
© Working session with Marie Hazard, Paris
© Left : Yann Gerstberger’ studio, Mexico City / Right : Printing process of Mirage by Doug Aitken
© Working session with Gabriel Kuri
© Left : Book launch of Mirage by Doug Aitken, Zurich / Right : Yann Gerstberger’s studio, Mexico City
All photos by Zolo Press and all answers by Zolo Press edited by Francesco Pedraglio