Cahiers intempestifs

Cahiers intempestifs is a French publishing house devoted principally to visual arts, contemporary art, graphic arts, design, and related cultural subjects. It was established in 1993 by Rémi Guichard and Véronique Gay-Rosier. From the beginning, Gay-Rosier has combined editorial responsibility with art direction, giving the house a strongly designed and materially distinctive identity. The publisher’s work brings together artists, writers, critics, designers, and other cultural practitioners, often using the book as an artistic object rather than treating it only as a container for text. The house’s principal periodical is Cahiers intempestifs, a contemporary-art magazine published twice a year. Alongside the magazine, its publishing program includes collections of books on graphic art and a line of design objects. The catalogue has involved a broad range of internationally recognized and emerging figures from the visual arts and literature, including Txomin Badiola, Miquel Barceló, Sophie Calle, Jimmie Durham, Peter Greenaway, Susan Hiller, Robert Morris, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Roman Opalka, Anne and Patrick Poirier, Sophie Ristelhueber, Sol LeWitt, Claude Viallat, Bernar Venet, and many others. The list also includes writers and thinkers such as Jean-Christophe Bailly, Michel Butor, Éric Chevillard, Jacques Roubaud, Jean-Luc Nancy, and Jean-Noël Blanc. Cahiers intempestifs has been associated with Saint-Étienne and with the wider Rhône-Alpes cultural and design ecosystem. Its public profile has been built not only through conventional book publishing but also through exhibitions, trade fairs, design events, and collaborations concerning paper, typography, objects, and visual communication. The publisher has experimented with multimedia formats, augmented reality, social networking, and other digital extensions, reflecting an interest in testing how artistic publishing can operate across print and digital media. Its design-oriented approach has attracted attention from publishing, graphic-arts, and design institutions. Documented activities and recognition include participation in the Design map exhibition, acknowledgment by Cities of Design/UNESCO, appearances connected with Paris Book Fair programming, and a distinction from Stratégies for the bOx of Life project in 2016. The publisher has also been covered in French cultural and professional publications, including Beaux Arts magazine, Libération, Le Monde diplomatique, Livre et lire, Caractère, France graphique, and Art Press. Editorial leadership has included Jacques Claude, who served as publishing director from 2006 to 2015, followed by Jean-Christophe Aussel from 2015 onward. Véronique Gay-Rosier has remained the central editorial and artistic figure since the company’s creation. Publicly available reference material does not provide reliable information about ownership, revenue, legal structure, employee numbers, or current distribution beyond the publisher’s French base and cultural publishing activities.

Cahiers intempestifs was founded in France in 1993 by Rémi Guichard and Véronique Gay-Rosier. From its inception, the publisher developed around the relationship between art, writing, book design, and the physical qualities of printed matter. Gay-Rosier has served as editor and art director since the beginning, making her the enduring creative and editorial reference point for the house. The publisher’s program centers on contemporary and visual arts. Its best-known periodical is Cahiers intempestifs, a magazine issued twice each year and dedicated to contemporary-art subjects. It also publishes books concerning graphic art and produces design objects. Rather than limiting itself to conventional illustrated monographs, the house has cultivated projects in which typography, paper, image sequencing, formats, and construction are important parts of the work. This approach places it within the tradition of art publishing while also connecting it to graphic design and object design. Over time, the catalogue has brought together artists, writers, critics, and researchers from France and abroad. Published contributors named in reference material include Sophie Calle, Robert Morris, Sol LeWitt, Miquel Barceló, Jimmie Durham, Peter Greenaway, Susan Hiller, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Bernar Venet, Claude Viallat, and many other visual artists. Literary and theoretical contributors include Michel Butor, Jean-Christophe Bailly, Éric Chevillard, Jacques Roubaud, Jean-Luc Nancy, and Jean-Noël Blanc. The breadth of this list shows the publisher’s interest in exchange between artistic practice, literature, criticism, and cultural theory. Cahiers intempestifs has also pursued experimentation beyond standard print publishing. Reference material describes work involving multimedia, augmented reality, social networks, and hybrid publishing experiences. Projects involving paper toys, typography, and design objects have helped communicate this broader conception of the publisher as a laboratory for visual culture. Its activities have been visible at the Paris Book Fair and in exhibitions and professional discussions about design, paper, books, and graphic communication. The publisher has been linked with Saint-Étienne and the Rhône-Alpes publishing and design environment. Its activities have been discussed by French cultural and professional outlets, including Libération, Le Monde diplomatique, Beaux Arts magazine, Art Press, Livre et lire, Caractère, and France graphique. It participated in the Design map exhibition in 2014 and received recognition associated with Cities of Design/UNESCO in 2013. A project called the bOx of Life received the Grand Prix Stratégies de la Production Publicitaire in 2016. In management terms, Jacques Claude served as publishing director from 2006 through 2015. Jean-Christophe Aussel has held that role since 2015. Véronique Gay-Rosier’s continuing editorial and artistic involvement provides institutional continuity from the founding period. Public reference material does not establish a precise corporate ownership structure, financial performance, or a separately identified parent group.

• 2016

  The bOx of Life receives a Stratégies award

  [1]Cahiers intempestifsen.wikipedia.org

  The bOx of Life project is distinguished by the Grand Prix Stratégies de la Production Publicitaire.

• 2015

  Jean-Christophe Aussel becomes publishing director

  [1]Cahiers intempestifsen.wikipedia.org

  Jean-Christophe Aussel succeeds Jacques Claude as publishing director.

• 2014

  Participation in Design map

  [1]Cahiers intempestifsen.wikipedia.org

  Cahiers intempestifs is selected for the Design map exhibition about designers creating value for business.

• 2013

  Design-related recognition and Nuit blanche activity

  [1]Cahiers intempestifsen.wikipedia.org

  The publisher receives recognition associated with Cities of Design/UNESCO and is linked with the Light #10 Nuit blanche program in Paris.

• 2006

  Jacques Claude becomes publishing director

  [1]Cahiers intempestifsen.wikipedia.org

  Jacques Claude takes over the publishing-director role, which he holds until 2015.

• 1993

  Cahiers intempestifs is founded

  [1]Cahiers intempestifsen.wikipedia.org

  Rémi Guichard and Véronique Gay-Rosier establish the French visual-arts publishing house.

An independent, design-led French art publisher combining contemporary-art criticism, artists’ books, graphic arts, typography, paper experimentation, and digitally enhanced publishing formats.

• Contemporary-art magazine

  Cahiers intempestifs

  A biannual contemporary-art magazine forming the publisher’s principal periodical. It presents artistic practices, critical writing, and visually oriented editorial projects within the house’s broader interest in the relationship between art and publishing.

• Art books

  Graphic-art book collection

  A collection of books focused on graphic art and related visual practices. The publisher’s approach emphasizes the designed page, image reproduction, typography, and the physical qualities of the book alongside the subject matter.

• Design objects

  Design-object collection

  A line of design objects extending the publisher’s work beyond conventional books. Documented examples and related projects include experimentation with paper, objects, and playful formats such as paper toys.

• Digital publishing

  Multimedia and augmented-reality publications

  Experimental publishing projects that connect printed works with multimedia, augmented reality, social-network activity, or other digital extensions. These projects reflect the house’s interest in expanding the book into an interactive visual experience.

• 2016bOx of Life

  France

  The bOx of Life was a design and production project demonstrating the publisher’s interest in multimedia-oriented, object-based, and visually experimental communication.

  Outcome. Stratégies awarded the project the Grand Prix Stratégies de la Production Publicitaire.

  Source
• 2013Light #10, Nuit blanche

  France

  A Cahiers intempestifs project was associated with the Light #10 Nuit blanche program in Paris, placing the publisher’s visual and design-oriented work in a public contemporary-art setting.

  Outcome. The project was documented as part of the publisher’s exhibition and cultural-program activity.

  Source

• 2015

  Change in publishing directionStrategy

  Background

  Jacques Claude had served as publishing director since 2006.

  Action taken

  Jean-Christophe Aussel became publishing director in 2015.

  Aftermath

  No reliable source in the supplied material describes a specific strategic or financial consequence of the transition.

  Source

1. 1Cahiers intempestifsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official Cahiers intempestifs websitecahiers-intempestifs.com