Taschen's big adventure began in 1980 when Benedikt Taschen, then aged 18 ...
In 1984, he bought 40000 unsold copies of an English book about. Magritte ...
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Taschen The success story of an art publisher
Benedikt Taschen
Courage, flair and excess
Text Felipa de Almeida
Photos By courtesy of Taschen
Taschen’s big adventure began in 1980 when Benedikt Taschen, then aged 18, opened a little bookshop, only 25 sq metres, in Cologne, Germany, his home town, to sell his own huge collection of comics as collectables. In 1981 he joined forces with the brilliant Ludwig Koenemann, who took charge of international distribution, with Hubertus Röder as finance director and Michael Kriegeskorte running design and production.
First Taschen’s shop in Cologne, Germany.
In 1984, he bought 40000 unsold copies of an English book about Magritte and sold them for much less than the initial asking price. At the same time he brought out a book of photos of Woody Allen taken by Annie Leibovitz and republished an art book by Reinhart Wolf, which had originally cost 168 DM, for 30DM. Taschen had been interested in art from an early age but had found art books too expensive and hard to find. His aim was to democratise the art publishing market little by lttle. He began by offering reprinted books under his imprint at reduced prices and in 1985 brought out his first original title, which was also the first in his Basic Art collection Picasso. The book was translated into 25 languages and is still in print. He then moved to publishing his own art books. In 1990 he moved his offices to a sumptuous private town house in Cologne. Towards the end of the 1990s Taschen had expanded into other areas such as architecture, design, photography, lifestyle, sex, film, music and popular culture. The publication of one or two more daring titles was to change radically the image of Taschen, who wanted to venture into the erotic. Jeff Koons, Roy Stuart, Eric Stanton, Elmer Batters and Tom of Finland were added to his catalogue. Moreover Taschen unhesitatingly posed for the photographer David La Chapelle, his bare thighs ready to be whipped by his wife Angelika, naked but for stilettos.
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Artists & Prostitutes, David LaChapelle, 13.6x19.7in, 698 pages, limited edition of 2500 copies worldwide.
Lautner, Barbara-Ann Campbell-Lange, 7.3x9.1in, 96 pages. Basic Art Series
Angelika Taschen, who is both artistic director and an art historian is behind innumerable books published by Taschen particularly in the field of interior design and decoration such as Miami Interiors, The Hotel Book, Paris Style and Country Interiors. In 1997 Benedikt Taschen bought Chemosphere House, designed in 1960 by John Lautner, a pupil of Frank Lloyd Wright. High in the Hollywood Hills this octagonal building has been called the world’s most modern house by the Encyclopedia Britannica. Taschen called in the Swiss architect Frank Escher to restore it and bring back the unusual atmosphere of this building, which had begun as the home of an aeronautical engineer. The building is a symbol of Californian modernism but is admired also for the clever practicality of its architecture. In 2000, Taschen broke the record for the most expensive book published in the 20th century. A first edition of Sumo by Helmut Newton, signed by more than 80 celebrities went for $300,000 at a charity auction in Los Angeles in aid of the Mentor Foundation which combats drug addiction among young peo-
GOAT, Collector’s Edition, A Tribute to Muhammad Ali, 19.7x19.7in, 792 pages.
ple throughout the world. This object 50 x 70 cm, 30 kg, 480 pages long with about the same number of pictures was published as a limited edition of 10,000 copies. Each copy is numbered and signed by Newton. The desk he is at is by Philippe Starck. In 2003 Taschen went even further with GOAT which stands for Greatest Of All Time. This massive tribute to the boxer Muhammad Ali became an instant publishing legend. Weighting more than 34 kg GOAT measures 50 centimetres by 50, is 800 pages long and contains thousands of illustrations and archival information. Every copy comes in a presentation box made from silk and reproduces the famous photo ‘Ali vs Williams’ taken by Neil Leifer in 1966. The photograph was nominated as the greatest sporting image of all time by the London Observer. GOAT is bound in metallic pink leather, inspired by Ali’s pink Cadillac. The artist Jeff Koons also took part in the project, making a limited edition lithograph to go with the 10,000 copies of the book, which are signed by Ali himself and Koons. The first 1000 copies are better known as the Champ’s edition and cost €7000. The remaining 9 000 fetch €3000 with a photo-litho. In 2004 Taschen showed his own magnificent art collection for the first time at the Queen Sofia Museum in Madrid. The collection is mainly of works by artists who are Taschen’s friends such as Oehlen, Kippenberger, Jeff Koons, Mike Kelley and Christopher Wool. In 2005 Taschen celebrated 25 years in business by re-issuing its most beautiful previously unpublished works at reduced prices. A quarter of a century after the opening of the little shop selling comics Taschen has become one of the most profitable and original publishing houses in the international marlkertplace. Its range of works for all tastes and all budgets is distributed worldwide in more than twenty languages. Taschen has opened shops in Paris, Los Angeles, Berlin and Tokyo and plans more in other big cities. Taschen has revolutionised the philosophy of art book publishing single handedly by offering high-class books on the greatest figures in art history, architecture and popular culture at affordable prices.
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Helmut Newton’s SUMO, 19.7x27.6in, 464 pages.
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Taschen Store, Los Angeles.
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Benedikt Taschen
Taschen Store, Paris, designed by Philippe Starck.
Sur La Terre met this passionate and fascinating character Sur La Terre: Do you consider yourself to be a revolutionary character in the world of art book publishing? Benedikt Taschen: No, but some people say I am. In any case Taschen is the most copied publishing house in the world, so it seems to inspire not just our readers but also other publishers. S.L.T. Taschen is a well-known international brand. Did you expect this level of success when you started out? B.T. It would have been pretentious for a young man of 18 to aspire to found such a big publishing house. I began by selling comic books and then art books. My objectives grew with the business. What has not changed is my wish to what I want and what I think is important to explore and to share with others.
I am a publisher who loves working with artists and understands what they want. S.L.T. Do you collect other people’s art books for research or pleasure? B.T. Of course. I adore books. S.L.T. What’s the last book you read? B.T. Mao by Judy Chung. S.L.T. You have a magnificent collection of art. Which young artists inspire you at the moment? B.T. Darren Almond, Andre Butzer and Marepe among others.
My objectives grew with the business. What has not changed is my wish to what I want and what I think is important to explore and to share with others.
S.L.T. Do you collect anything else? B.T. Only friends.
S.L.T. Which of the many books you have published are you proudest of? B.T. All the books which we have brought out with artists have been an enriching experience, especially the big ones like GOAT on Muhammad Ali and Sumo on Helmut Newton. But, as with children, I would not like to say which is my favourite.
S.L.T. How would you like to see Taschen developing? B.T. I hope we can stay flexible and proactive.
S.L.T. Could you be considered an artist yourself? B.T. No. I am a publisher who loves working with artists and understands what they want. My job stops there.
S.L.T. Have you thought about publishing an art magazine? B.T. No. Too much work trying to meet deadlines each issue.
S.L.T. Art books are sometime seen as mere decorative coffee-table books. What do you think? B.T. When a book is beautiful it is clearly a bonus and if it looks good on a low table so much the better but it would be a terrible shame not to profit from its contents. Books are written to inspire… For further information: www.taschen.com
