Hand Painted Publishing

The Latin American Cartonera Publishers Database is another of our visually interesting collections. The Cartonera publishing phenomenon began in Buenos Aires in 2003 and was spearheaded by writers and artists interested in reconfiguring the conditions in which literary art is produced and consumed. This initial enterprise called Eloisa Cartonera has not only changed the publishing scene in Argentina but also the scene across Latin America by functioning as a model and an inspiration for the development of the following Cartonera publishing projects in Latin America.

All of the Cartonera books are hand-made from recycled cardboard collected off the streets by cartoneros, or garbage pickers, who then sell the cardboard they collect to the Cartonera publishers and in some cases work on the production process of the actual books themselves. The cardboard covers are hand painted and assembled in a process that reconfigures the relation of the worker to his work by sidestepping exploitation of the worker and maintaining the unique artistic qualities of each individual cover produced.

We encourage you to check out these covers for yourself. Enjoy!