|
|
 |
|
| PODpublishing had its genesis when POD founder Kevin Mutch was in art school in his home town of Winnipeg, Canada - one of the most isolated cities in the world. Since he was so far from the center of the art world, Mutch wished there was a way to make art that could be as easily distributed as music or books. |
|
|
|
| Winnipeg, Canada |
| Mutch became attracted to the idea of creating and distributing art in "open edition multiples" - which exist as many copies rather than as precious and unique objects. He made a number of artist's books, posters, and other types of multiples which he sold very cheaply or gave away.
Around this time, artists such as Yasumasa Morimura were starting to make formally ambitious art using new digital imaging technologies. Mutch thought that one of the most interesting things about such images was how easily they could be replicated and distributed from anywhere in the world as multiples.
In 1999, Mutch (by now living in New York City) worked with fellow digital artist Victor Acevedo to organize a group show of digital fine art produced in open editions. The "POD Show" (for Print On Demand) opened on May 14th, 1999 at the Vibrant Gallery in SoHo, and was the most successful show in the gallery's history. |
|
|
|
| The POD Show at Vibrant Gallery |
| From September 1999 to March, 2001, Mutch worked with the Spectra Digital Fine Art Studio in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, to present a series of shows of digital fine art in their storefront gallery space. Some of the world's leading digital artists were represented, and among the well-attended events hosted by the gallery was 3D Visualization to Print on Demand, a panel discussion hosted by Christiane Paul of the Whitney Museum. |
 |
 |
| Spectra Digital Arts Gallery |
| In early 2000, Mutch began development of a Print On Demand gallery website in partnership with Spectra and Sumo Digital. PODgallery.com was launched on March 3rd, 2000. Since that time, PODgallery has evolved into one of the Internet's most extensive and highly trafficked web galleries. Over 6000 works of art by more than 200 artists and illustrators from all over the world are available for sale as open edition multiples, produced on demand in the Sumo Digital Fine Art Studio. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
