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Your Art in Our Book! Scam or Not?

art book
I’m sure we would all like to be published but are these books genuine?

I continually get emails from people or companies who profess to publish a book to showcase up and coming artists worldwide.

I have to say I generally archive them immediately either with or without even reading them and I wondered if I was the only one to do this or if I am missing out on something here?

Most of these emails specify that you have to pay for your pictures to be put in this book (what a surprise) but that only the best artists are selected. They also say that it is distributed widely and your artwork will be displayed alongside well known artists!

Maybe I am a cynic (actually I am definitely a cynic) but they just seem to be a bit of a money making scheme for the people involved as far as I can see.

Has anyone actually taken up any of these offers? Do you think they are genuine? Am I being too harsh?!

Here are just a few of the examples of ‘offers’ I have had. To be honest I have deleted a whole load more:


Art book “Art market and successful contemporaryart” published from MAMAG Modern Art Museum and Gallery

MAMAG Modern Art Museum publish next year the art book “Art market and successful contemporary art” with the book presentation and exhibition opportunity in October 2018 at the fair in Frankfurt with about 270,000 visitors and more than 10,000 journalists. The fair also includes exhibitors such as MOMA New York, the artnet, the GOOGLE Culture Institute, the Van Gogh Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York).

2016 was the main speaker at the show David Hockney.

You have the opportunity to be published alongside the big names such as Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Georg Baselitz and many other amazing artists.
Only 10 artists from the MAMAG Modern Art Museum / PAKS Gallery will be exhibited with the work of art. Of 10 places are 8 already reserved.


World Wide Art Books international art anthologies have become one of the most authoritativeart resources of our time. Used by collectors, gallery owners, art consultants, interior designers, curators and other art professionals all over the world, each title published by World Wide Art Books comes out once a year.

We are now accepting submissions for the following titles:

Current Masters 3 – End 2017

International Contemporary Masters Volume 12 – Spring 2018

Important World Artists Volume 3 – Autumn 2018

Current Masters Volume 4 – End 2018

International Contemporary Masters Volume 13 – Spring 2019

Each book is a large luxury museum-quality publication and presents the work of approximately 100 artists. All genres of contemporary art are included, and every medium that can be depicted on a printed page: painting, sculpture, mixed media, photography, digital art, installations, collage, and others.


International Contemporary Artists is a series of juried artist books, aiming to offer a new and effective venue to emerging and established artists, through which they’ll introduce their work to a serious international audience of art professionals.
This publication presents all two- and three- dimensional media. In each high quality volume of the book we feature approximately 250 artists, who have been selected by professional curators. All the selected artists will be presented in the book with one full-color page that includes 2 images, contact information, and a brief artist statement.
International Contemporary Artists will be received by 1.200 galleries and curators in the U.S and in Europe as well.


PRESENTS THE MOST OF YOUR WORKS IN THE ART WORLD

JOIN THIS NEW PUBLISHING INITIATIVE OF PRESTIGE

Web Site- Add 4 of your best works to be published in the Catalogue

– Will be distributed to 40 among the most important Italian Art Galleries

– Also realized as E-book visible and downloadable worldwide

– The film of the Catalogue will be placed on YouTube

 

 

Another one is Owen Walford from Artavita – again I have no idea if this is genuine or a scam so any info would be great!

World Wide Art Magazine is published only online and is sent free to 235,000 readers, among whom are 30,000 gallery owners, 125,000 art fans, 8,500 art dealers, 45,000 art collectors and 20,000 art organizations. The magazine is also promoted through Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The total audience reached is approximately 450,000 readers. Publication of Issue 6: End of April, 2021
The World Wide Art magazine is a great way for artists to showcase their art all over the world.
All media are accepted
Participation fee $15 per image

Should artists have to pay to put their work in books? Does anyone of any interest in the art world actually see these books? If someone was publishing a book called “Important World Artists” I would expect them to go out and find the people they think are indeed important world artists!

I’m interested in other people’s opinions on this and possible experiences. I just can’t see how putting your pictures in a book can do anything other than line the pockets of the people involved.

Comments List

SamJuly 30, 2023 2:24 am / Reply

It's 2023 and it's still happening! My wife received the same email. Definitely a very sophisticated scam. I found an artist who lost the money and the shipped art works never returned. Please read this. The interaction with the con artists is very well documented. https://www.artsinmoncucco.com/blog/183364/my-2015-austrian-exhibit-with-the-paks-gallery-recalled

MichelleJune 4, 2022 3:08 pm / Reply

I juried into Lark Books publications twice. There was no application fee, and I received two free books when my work was selected for publication. I honestly do not recall if they solicited me or if I just saw the announcement somewhere, but there were no fees involved.

    adminJune 4, 2022 3:47 pm / Reply

    Thanks Michelle, that's interesting, I've not heard of that one before.

Tony WegandSeptember 27, 2021 9:57 pm / Reply

The crook keeps doing it in September 2021... Beware!

    adminSeptember 28, 2021 9:18 am / Reply

    Yes I am still getting an influx of emails as well and just ignoring them!

joeMarch 3, 2020 4:22 am / Reply

I also been getting plenty of emails from them. I am a bit suspicious about paying money to show, especially since I keep 80% of sales. This tells me they have no incentives to sell your art work, I am staying away from them.

JessJune 5, 2019 3:40 am / Reply

Oh my god, I received the same email as you from PAKS gallery/MAMAG and was doing some research on how legit they were when I came across your post. Seems like a common occurrence as I've also received emails in the past about being published in "prestige" art books that I've never heard of. The email lists dates of registration roughly a week to 10 days after it's been sent. Surely such an important exhibition would be curated and organised with much more notice? I would be interested to know how you go with it too.

ToresApril 30, 2019 7:32 am / Reply

I can’t believe I’m not seeing more of this. I’m also trying to figure out if it’s a scam before sending money to a foreign account and sending my art to Europe without actually speaking to someone. I got the email from a Heinz Playner who’s a curator and critic for PAKS gallery and MAMAG. Their holding several exhibits w opportunities for press but with payment. Have u found anyone who’s participated in this? I can’t find anything on this so it’s tough to decipher.

    adminApril 30, 2019 8:30 am / Reply

    Hi, no I haven't found anyone who has participated either. I also get loads of emails from PAKS gallery about participating in a number of things with payment and they seem to be at great locations. But looking at the latest offer - somewhere near the Louvre in October - it costs 750 Euros just for one painting of maximum size 80 x 80cm. Plus 10% commission on anything sold. There are numerous other 'opportunities' to spend money on other things too. Maybe 'scam' is the wrong word but it just seems like a good way for them to make money out of artists who are trying to get their work seen. Also like you say you are sending your work over and are not able to speak to any potential purchasers or other people who are interested in your work and I think that networking is one of the best ways to make contacts. It would be interesting to hear how you get on if you decide to take part!

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