Ukrainian gallery launches English-language niche publishing project ‘Ilostmylibrary’

19.06.2024

Olesia Boiko

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The “Asortymentna Kimnata” gallery, based in Ivano-Frankivsk, Western Ukraine, has launched a small-run publishing house called ilostmylibrary. The publishing house will release niche nonfiction books in English.

The project’s focus includes art books, catalogs of works by artists from Ivano-Frankivsk and other locations with limited documentation, as well as projects centered on feminism, decentralization, anti-imperialism, and decolonization, which are often underrepresented.

“This has happened to many of us — we’ve lost our libraries,” the explainer says. “Some because when your home is the whole world, you often move and accumulate selectively. Some because precarious conditions force you to move between places of residence. Some because when you flee from war, you take only what fits in one suitcase or in the trunk of a car. Some because the bookshelf disappeared along with the home.”

Ilostmylibrary is dedicated to promoting Ukrainian niche nonfiction to global audiences. Their approach includes self-publishing select titles for public purchase, while others will be published in partnership with patrons and donors for distribution to cultural institutions.

With a focus on small print runs and Ukrainian translations of popular works, ilostmylibrary aims to bridge cultural gaps. The publishing house is a natural progression of their media project, post impreza, which enables “timely reactions.” According to co-founder Alyona Karavai, the team began documenting Ukraine’s artistic process and sharing it globally after the full-scale invasion, as Ukrainian art faces significant threats.

Currently, their website features three titles, including “Collective Fantasies and Eastern Resources” (2023).

Main image: project’s Instagram

Copy editing: Joy Tataryn, Terra Friedman King