aaaa press

issn: 2673-4745
doi: 10.17436/etk.a.001 –
doi: 10.17436/etk.a.100
 
„I will propose a game: the year without names. For one year books will be published without the author’s name. The critics will have to manage with an entirely anonymous production. But I suspect that perhaps they will have nothing to say: all the authors will wait until the next year to publish their books.“ Michel Foucault as „The Masked Philosopher“ (Le Monde, 1980)
 
 

projektupdate, 05.03.2026

• der projekt- bzw. permalink aaaa.etkbooks.com zeigt nun auf diese seite.
• das ursprüngliche basis-prozessdokument befindet sich nun als archiv-pdf hier.
• eine geplante google drive migration der dateien wurde durchgeführt mit folgenden änderungen:
• alle doi wurden umgestellt (vgl. auch doi database, filter „aaaa“) und zeigen nun auf permalinks der archivobjekte in der schweizerischen nationalbibliothek (nb, digitale sammlungen).
• die nb wird damit faktisch auslieferungsserver dieser reihe. (link zu ressource #2).
• es gibt weiterhin ein backup in einer anderen cloud (mit passwort).
• nach wie vor gibt es die usb edition mit allen digitalen objekten und dem annotierten exhibition catalogue.
• sowie den pod-exhibition catalogue (curatorbooks 009), über lulu bestellbar. 
• die universitätsbibliothek bern hält ein print-exemplar der gesamten reihe.

project update, 5 march 2026

• the project permalink aaaa.etkbooks.com now points to this page.
• the original base process document is now available as an archive pdf here.
• a planned google drive migration of the files was carried out with the following changes:
• all doi were converted (see also doi database, filter ‘aaaa’) and now point to permalinks of the archive objects in the swiss national library (nb, digital collections).
• the nb thus effectively becomes the delivery server for this series. (link to resource #2).
• there is still a backup in another cloud (with password).
• the usb edition with all digital objects and the annotated exhibition catalogue is still available.
• as is the pod exhibition catalogue (curatorbooks 009), which can be ordered via lulu.
• the university library of bern holds a print copy of the entire series.

more / about in:
annette gilbert, andreas bülhoff: Library of Artistic Print on Demand. Collection and Research, apod.li/aaaa-press. hierzu erschien eine eindrucksvolle print-edition (spector books, 2025), die den aufsatz „Conceptual Publishing and Library Practice“ enthält.

/ aaaa press is a sublabel of (…) edition taberna kritika, that ran between 2020 and 2022 and published one book every Monday, resulting in 100 publications in total. The series, of the same name, was preceded by an open call with almost no limitations to media and content (“anything which fits in word/pdf”). The resulting publications circle largely around topics like conceptual writing, cataloging and lists, online and off-line text cultures, and fragments and drafts. Each contributor got a free copy.
Apart from its fast-paced publishing routine, the series was subject to further formal constraints resulting from its hybrid publishing model as both PDF and print-on-demand: All publications are DIN A4 (hence the name of the series), softcover, and between 60–800 pages long (the minimum and maximum number of pages possible for being published in this format at Lulu.com).
But above all, according to its self-description, / aaaa press is designed as “an allegorical performance of Foucault’s concept ‘the year without names.’” Abendschein refers to a game that Foucault had suggested in an interview: “For one year books will be published without the author’s name. The critics will have to manage with an entirely anonymous production. But I suspect that perhaps they will have nothing to say: all the authors will wait until the next year to publish their books” (Michel Foucault, “Le philosophe masque”). According to this concept of anonymous authorship, / aaaa press makes no reference to any creator of its contents, with the title only showing on the spine (the front and back covers left unprinted) and a very simple title page. (…)

 
synopsis