Literaturhaus handcrafts homespun art objects that play with and challenge structures & forms—words juxtaposed to find the cracks.

Art has been a great compass and while there is no shortage of great art, the conversations around it have been trivialized, sometimes by their own purveyors. Turned into fluff, entertainment, content for the purposes of attracting sales, views, visits, clicks, likes. Instead of buying into short-term profitability, we wanted to focus our attentions on sincere reflections of our cities, our industries and institutions, our leaders, our universe, and ourselves, to create a space for just these reflections. Our souls yearn for honest, frank conversations on the state of things.

All that said, we are a federally recognized 501(c)(3), not-for-profit literary organization, incorporated in the state of New York – 25 West 43rd Street, 17th Floor, NY, NY 10036.

Literaturhaus seeks forms

⁘ We investigate the possibilities and utilize them to realize the potential of our words.

⁘ The book is a crafted object and not a foregone conclusion.

Literaturhaus lingers about the underbelly, subaltern and anonymous

⁘ History does not reflect the multitudes of its stories.

⁘ In the moment, the result of any conflict does not feel as inevitable as it appears in hindsight.

⁘ Yesterday’s conflicts still send ripples through our days.

Literaturhaus is in conversation with the day

⁘ Big data surrounds us and threatens to sweep us away into passivity without form, without ways to explore, to understand the ripples of the day, to pursue one another amidst the deluge.

⁘ The knowledge gained by a generation is not automatically passed on, not by blood, not by destiny, and not through mere survival.

Literaturhaus reaches across the line between information and knowledge

⁘ Stockpiling resources (whether stories, gold, uranium, or any other damn thing) is not a reflection of gained wisdom, character, goodwill, humanity, or worth.

⁘ What remains essential is the ability to read, to recognize, and to cultivate.

Why handcrafted books?

In a day and age where the production of books (whether they be digital or physical) has never been easier, we are afraid something is being lost in the process. Our attention is being scattered and overwhelmed by the potential for instant gratification, but it is for the slow-simmering processes and development of the art of publishing, of literature, and of design that we long desire.

Devoted to the cultivation of stories and to uncover the strings, showing the connections that bind us all, we create homespun art objects that play with and challenge structures and forms. It is this call that inspired our decision to handcraft editions, a reminder to readers of the processes of construction and to create more intimate objects that do not just transfer information but also serve as bridges sharing their own stories while offering a deeper understanding of the ones they carry.

Where are we and from where have we come?

An artist's project in the medium of publishing, we are drawing blueprints for alternative, sustainable forms in literature and publishing—through word, design, and business model.

In a moment packed to the gills with information, we cannot seem to subdue this nagging anxiety of the unknown. We crave more information but without the means to digest it. The corporatization of publishing in its current form is only a stopgap to this world in flux while we come to terms with our digital lives. But it does not address a basic need, what is essential, what is fundamental to our books, the stories we tell, and the roles of critics, booksellers, and publishers alike—it is to give books a context, to share, challenge, and juxtapose their ideas, to analyze, reflect, and connect them to our times and ourselves. Our greater literary culture is a giant community, interconnected, and we are all bridges and tunnels.

In 1494 Venice, Aldo Manuzio (Aldus Manutius) started Aldine Press, the prototype for modern publishing. Roberto Calasso describes Manuzio and his Press as “the first to imagine a publishing house in terms of form. And here the word form has to be interpreted in many different ways. Form is crucial, first of all, in the choice and sequence of titles to be published. But form also relates to the texts that accompany the books, as well as the way in which the books are presented as objects.” As Aldine Press, so too do we.

Is Literaturhaus open to submissions?

We are always happy to hear proposals. Send an email with a sample/proposal of no more than 250 words to read@literaturha.us with the “Submission” in the subject line.

Contact us

• For general inquiries: info@literaturha.us.

• For press: press@literaturha.us.

• For submissions: read@literaturha.us.

• For wholesale: orders@literaturha.us.