5 Press

5 Press is an art collective based in Melbourne that focuses on producing handmade artist books. It was founded in 2015, by five artists who met while studying at the Victorian College of the Arts, and reconnected a few years later at the inaugural Melbourne Art Book Fair. Finding they shared a love of books, the collective was formed with the intention of investigating the artist book form, through traditional printmaking and book binding techniques, creating a framework in which to experiment and explore their own practices through a new medium. 5 Press have produced over 50 artist books, including a number of collaborations within the framework of the collective. From the beginning, the intention has been to utilise traditional printing methods such as etching and lithography and to avoid digital reproductions in order to fully embrace the materiality of these objects and the labour intensive processes associated with these techniques. The books created are printed and hand bound by the artists themselves, printed in small editions and are often unique state works. We believe it is important to keep the skills of hand making alive and to share it with a contemporary audience.