The New York Art Book Fair kicked off last night at MoMA PS1 in Queens with a preview of the more than 200 exhibitor booths displaying the work of international presses, booksellers, artists and independent booksellers from twenty-one countries.

The fair is free and open to the public today through Sunday with lectures, presentations, and signings throughout the weekend, including the reading of a declaration from the International Necronautical Society by Tom McCarthy with Simon Critchley, and a discussion of “DIY Publishing and Exhibiting” from members of Boo-Hooray and Exitstencil Press.  The full schedule can be found here and Cambridge Book will live stream and document selected sessions here.

There will be two keynote addresses as part of the Contemporary Artists’ Books Conference. The first on Friday from 5:30-7:00pm will be given by Paul Chan, an artist who publishes limited edition books and ebooks with the imprint Badlands Unlimited. According to the keynote description, he will address the following questions:

Is publishing a form of addiction? What is a book? How is reading a book different than looking at art? Does light change the nature of what appears on paper and screen? How come I was served with a warrant for outstanding taxes? Why does running Badlands waste so much time and lose so much money? What does this have to do with pleasure?

The second keynote address will be a discussion with art historian and critic Lucy Lippard from 6:00-7:30pm on Saturday. She will “discuss the social context of artists’ books.”