K.Co Press, a new art book publisher based in Dallas, Tex., is set to officially launch this fall with its first commercial trade publication: Joy Machine, a retrospective of the work of Texas sculptor Jeffie Brewer.
The publishing house was initially founded in 2021, in the midst of the pandemic. Stephanie Khattak, publisher and founder of the press, found herself out of work and taking roadtrips with her husband, James, a professional photographer. “We’d be driving around and my husband would take photos, we thought this would be a really cool book," Khattak said.
Khattak subsequently self-published a series of books featuring photography from across Texas, including Ten Texas Towns and Places In-Between: Field Notes from the Back Roads; When Brothers Agree, a compendium of photos of Masonic Halls; and Shorelines: The Texas Gulf and Coastal Bend. Khattak subsequently moved into publishing monographs comprising archival work from individual artists pulled from the public domain, such as The Art of William Morris and The Art of Julie de Graag. Other titles focused on regional themes and landscapes, including books on Arkansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma
“After this series of projects, we realized there was a niche to be filled in the art book publishing world and we could move toward a more traditional publishing model,” Khattak said. Enter Joy Machine, which is being produced with an initial print run of 500 copies in collaboration with the artist. "We both brought ideas to the literal kitchen table, and it turned into a book would be totally different without our conversations," she said.
K.Co Press plans to release two to three titles per year going forward. Their catalog will span "from single-subject and single-artist surveys to coffee-table photography books and monographs that provide an in-depth look at an artist or their work," Khattak said.
Unlike many small presses, K.Co is taking a measured approach to distribution. "We're very small," Khattak admitted. "I would say almost a micropress, if you want to split hairs about it." The press’s size, she explained, demands a more targeted strategy: "We've focused on selling specifically on regions where [Brewer] already has a gallery presence and his reputation is strong," including California, New Mexico, and potentially Boston, Mass., in addition to Texas.
K.Co Press also runs a podcast, Call/Response: Writers on Art & Artists on Literature. Released twice a month, it features conversations with creatives who find inspiration across disciplines.
"While we join a robust and well-established ecosystem of art book publishers, there is plenty of opportunity for books to raise artist visibility and bring high-quality and engaging art beyond gallery walls and collectors' rooms," Khattak said. "K.Co Press books are designed to form strong connections between readers and art that moves them."
