Steidl

Steidl is a German-language publisher, an international publisher of photobooks, and a printing company, based in Göttingen, Germany. It was started in 1968 by Gerhard Steidl and is still run by him. ¹

Born in Göttingen in 1950, Gerhard Steidl began working as a printer and designer in 1969. Soon the customers of his screen-printing workshop included Joseph Beuys, Marcel Broodthaers and Nam June Paik, among other well-known artists. In 1972, the first Steidl book Befragung der documenta (Questioning documenta) was published. From political non-fiction he then expanded into literature and selected books on art and photography.

Since 1993 Steidl has held the worldwide rights to the work of Nobel Laureate Günter Grass. Celebrating some of the most distinctive voices in contemporary writing, Steidl publishes German literature as well as translations from French, English and Icelandic, including the work of Nobel Laureate Halldór Laxness, Sebastian Barry, Edna O’Brien, Colin Barrett, Maeve Brennan and Véronique Bizot.

In 1994 Steidl launched its international photobook program. Today it includes some of the world’s most renowned photographers and artists including Joel Sternfeld, Bruce Davidson, Robert Frank, Robert Adams, Karl Lagerfeld, Lewis Baltz, Dayanita Singh, Ed Ruscha, Roni Horn and Juergen Teller, to name but a few.

Every Steidl book distinguishes itself through individual design and production values. Known for his passion for paper, printer and publisher Gerhard Steidl personally selects the paper and binding materials for each title and oversees all aspects of the production process – each Steidl book literally passes through his hands.

Over the decades Steidl at Düstere Strasse 4 in Göttingen has become one of the most respected printers in the international publishing world. Whether photography, art, fashion or literature, it is Steidl’s goal to realize the dreams and goals of artists and authors, and to create art in book form.

Gerhard Steidl is furthermore active as a curator, conceiving and producing photography exhibitions worldwide. Recent exhibitions include “Robert Frank: Books and Films, 1947–2018”; Karl Lagerfeld, “The Little Black Jacket” (for Chanel); Karl Lagerfeld, “The Glory of Water” (for Fendi); Alessandra Borghese/Alessandra d’Urso, “For Friends” (for Louis Vuitton); Meisterkreis/Jim Rakete, “German Excellence” (for the German Federal Foreign Office), Khalid Al-Thani, “Here is My Secret”, and Tomasz Gudzowaty “Proof”. ²