On Demand: Self-publishing, bookstores, and art book fairs is a research project with an emphasis on self-publication. Written, photographed, edited, designed, and bound by Ash Wei.
This project explores self-publishing as both a personal and collective act. Rather than focusing solely on self-publishing as a niche practice among book arts enthusiasts, this project also investigates how independent bookstores and art book fairs operate as social and cultural hubs.
Through interviews with self-publishers, book artists, art space organizers, and book fair curators—as well as through participatory workshops with designers and the general public—this work explores the intersections between artistic publishing and everyday life. Alongside my own publishing experiments, I examine why physical-matter continues to hold value in this digital era, offering a tactile and engaging form of representation for both creators and readers.
On Demand unfolds in two sections: “Self-publishing for Me” and “Self-publishing for Us.” Much like print-on-demand technology, self-publishing balances individual expression with shared cultural need—positioning books as vessels for both intimate authorship and public dialogue across art, design, economics, politics, and the humanities.
- Writer, Editor, Designer, and Book Binder
- Ash Wei
- Digital Printer
- Fenway Group
- Special Thanks
- Christopher Sleboda
- Special Thanks
- Kristen Coogan
