ARTIKA: a commitment to quality and local production

What aspects do we appreciate in an artist book? ARTIKA’s editions combine characteristics that are increasingly valued today: their hallmark quality is based on handcrafted processes and works produced exclusively in Spain. This makes them unique and appreciated on a global scale.

100% handmade quality

An ARTIKA book is not mass-produced. Producing an ARTIKA edition requires expertise, patience and a passion for innovation. We choose the right material for each print and sheet of paper and the binding is always done by hand, with needle and thread. Every ARTIKA project is rooted in craftsmanship.

In many cases, we have worked with the only masters who still use traditional methods, and we use them because they are the best at what they do. That is why each edition involves bookbinders, sculptors, cabinetmakers and experts in the treatment of the most diverse materials.

Proximity and experience

Our books don’t travel thousands of kilometres in 26-tonne containers. Every part of the book, from the paper to the case, is conceived, designed and made in various workshops in Barcelona. Because we are committed to homegrown, local talent: we trust in professionals who continue to add value in a city with an age-old tradition in art and design.

This unique quality has also sparked the interest of art collectors and lovers from all over the world, who recognise Barcelona as a benchmark for creativity and innovation.

Passion for detail

Our research processes, which usually take an average of four years, lead to creative solutions – like the paper made exclusively for  Sèrie Negre, by Antoni Tàpies. Crafted from two types of virgin cellulose in a centuries-old workshop of expert craftsmen, the result guarantees maximum authenticity when compared to the original sheets.

The uniqueness of each edition is also manifested through the innovative design that shapes the case that houses the books and prints. For example, the one for Gaudí Up Close was made exclusively by one of the sculptors of the Sagrada Familia. It is a reproduction of one of the emblematic chimneys of La Pedrera, with finishing touches that evoke the materials that Antoni Gaudí used.

We also relied on experts in traditional forging for San Juan de la Cruz, by Eduardo Chillida. The art book features spectacular iron plate binding, the material that best represents the Basque sculptor. The covers underwent a process of oxidation, varnishing and manual polishing that ensures each copy is different.

Masterpieces are built step by step

Since 2003 we have worked with artists including Jaume Plensa, Fernando Botero and Lita Cabellut, turning their ideas into the finest pieces in our collection through the search for techniques and materials that evoke the essence of each artist.

When it comes to artists like Frida Kahlo, Van Gogh and Picasso, geniuses who are no longer with us, we collaborate with experts, heirs, foundations and museums to unveil never-seen-before aspects of their work.

Today’s customers want to know the story behind what they buy, and they want that story to be unique. In this sense, ARTIKA books provide an exclusive touch of authenticity: they are works of art in themselves.

• ARTIKA artist’s books are not mass-produced: each copy is handmade by expert craftsmen.

• All our editions are conceived, designed and produced down to the last detail in Barcelona.

• Limited editions, local initiatives and handmade production are factors that are becoming increasingly popular in the global market.