History
The Independent Publishing House
Lazy Dog Press was born in Milan, Italy, on a lazy June day in 2012. In addition to Luca Barcellona and Riccardo Bello, the founders are Debbie Bibo, a Californian transplanted to Italy, and designer Massimo Pitis. The latter, author of the logotype and art director of the first three published titles, was succeeded by Francesco Ceccarelli and Frederic Argazzi of the Modena studio Bunker in 2014. They were later joined by Andrea Savoia (2015), who unfortunately passed away suddenly in early 2021, and Sandra Gobbato (2016), owner of the Mutty cultural center in Castiglione delle Stiviere. The business, therefore, is located between Milan, where the registered office is located; Verona, with the administrative, coordination and warehouse offices; and Modena, where the graphic design studio works.
The publisher’s name is derived from the final part of the famous pangram “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”, a catch phrase that contains the entire alphabet. In its vaguely surreal narrative, among the protagonists the figure of the lazy dog is the most sympathetic and versatile, the one with whom the group identifies best. The reference to the typographic world is blatant. It is meant to express the first vocation of the publishing house and the predilection for this language.
Books on Visual Culture
The publishing house debuts with the monograph dedication to Luca Barcellona, in which written text often becomes image. It is clear from the outset, however, that the subjects and topics of future publications would not be limited to writing, typography, and letterform. Lazy Dog speaks of visual culture tout-court, of text and image in their inevitable mutual contamination. There is ample room, therefore, for illustration, photography, design and visual arts as well.
The books are conceived, designed and produced with sartorial care and special attention to the choice of materials, manufacture and, above all, style. After all, it would make no sense to publish books on paper unless they are artfully crafted and open-minded. Each book is its own project, with no format constraints; there are no series, no rigidly defined categories.
In Books We Trust!
The goal is to pursue an overall quality of the book, as much in content as in form. Lazy Dog books must be able to convey the same passion with which they are created, to offer the reader vibrant reading experiences and generate authentic emotions, to stimulate curiosity and capture interest, to be inspirational. Books can make all this possible, as long as they remain themselves, printed on paper, fixed in time.
Riccardo Bello
Publisher, administrator, production management and coordination
Bunker
Art direction, editor and book design
Luca Barcellona
Editor, editorial and art consulting
Sandra Gobbato
Editor, editorial consulting
Novità
Our Authors
- Alessandro Colizzi
- Alfredo de Santis
- Andrea Cavani, Giulio Orsini
- Aoi Huber Kono
- Armando Milani
- Associazione Calligrafica Italiana
- Ayumi Kudo
- Beppe Giacobbe
- Bob Noorda
- Carlo Vinti
- CAST
- Cesare Leonardi, Franca Stagi
- Charles H. Traub
- Claudio Rocha, Tony De Marco
- Elisa Talentino
- Emi Ligabue
- Francesco Bombardi
- Francesco Dondina
- Franco Fontana
- Franco Matticchio
- Gerda Videsott
- Gerrit Noordzij
- Gianluigi Toccafondo
- Giorgio Camuffo
- Guido Scarabottolo
- Gus Powell
- Gusmano Cesaretti
- Hou Hanru, Anne Palopoli
- James Clough
- Jinta Hirayama
- Jörg Müller
- Jost Hochuli
- Katsumi Komagata
- Letterpress Workers
- Lorenzo Mattotti
- Luca Barcellona
- Luca Speranzoni
- Luca Zamoc
- Matthew Albanese
- Maurizio Baroni
- Michele Patanè
- Nebiolo History Project
- Olimpia Zagnoli
- Onde Nostre
- Paolo Cremonesi
- Pino Tovaglia
- Riccardo Olocco
- Silvia Sfligiotti
- Simone Azzoni
- Stefano Lemon