Sheep magazine Archive 2: issues 10-17

ut also the publisher has been applauded … for his visionary role in
being clearsighted enough to believe in (t)his product and this particular
photographer (who he has championed). And also, again, thats probably
how it should be. All healthy stuff, I think.
In the upside-down-world we live in, in any mention of ‘their’ product (in this
case, a book), it is the owners of the means of production (and in this case that
is the ‘publisher’) who are the beneficiaries, getting all the back-slapping and
(maybe) financial rewards. Whereas it is the invisible workers behind the scenes
(artworker, typesetter, proofer, screenmaker, printer, guillotine, finisher, packer
… apologies to all I have missed on this brief list), whose time and sometimes
beyond expected efforts are what have created that fucking gloriously crafted
item in your hands, a beautiful, beautiful book, albeit a reprint.
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I suppose you could argue ‘well, they have been paid!’ … but even then,
in order to make any profit out of this product/book the ‘behind the scenes
workers’ cannot be paid their true worth (its called capitalism!). It cannot be
denied that without the critical and necessary participation of these slaves
to the rhythm this project would have failed, so it is quite a sleight for them
to be so evenly and haughtily ignored by all in the cultural/arts media …
almost like a ‘fuck-them’ … Those involved in the production of this book
can scour any review of this book vainly looking for any mention of their
skills, their inconsiderable and laboured effort (‘vainly’ used here without
apology, and pointedly adopting its double meaning).
A book is so much more than its contents or the brand stamped on its
spine, get off your perch you arty-farty playthings … credit where credit is
due, and some!
JULY & AUGUST 2016