The first Designers & Books Fair (at FIT in NYC)—produced by Designers & Books and its founder, Steve Kroeter—went off this past weekend with only one hitch: Hurricane Sandy. Well, partly. The organizers had to end the fair a few hours early, before the city shut down subway service. Sadly, the conversation between Richard Meier, Michael Graves, and Peter Eisenman with Paul Goldberger was preempted. But all the other events went swimmingly (no off-handed reference intended).
The amazing turnout by publishers and vendors in the exhibition hall, and the enthusiasm of the speakers and audience, showed the print-is-dead naysayers that books on paper between covers are still supreme (even though e-books are a reality, too). And hats off to Steve Kroeter for being a visionary ringmaster (“Book fair? You gotta be mad?”), proving that the skeptical among us need a little faith in our lives.
Photo: thanks to MediaBistro
The fair was a high point of design conferencing. Bravo to Kroeter and his team. And personal thanks to Debbie Millman for interviewing me and Louise Fili (bringing us together on a stage for the first time in our 29 year hitching) with such thoughtful and wonderful questions.