“Ink used for digital printing is one of the most precious substances in the world. A single gallon of ink costs over four thousand dollars and this is one reason why digitally printed books are so expensive.
However, the price of a book is not calculated according to the amount of ink used in its production. For example, a Lulu book of blank pages costs an artist as much to produce as a book filled with text or large photographs. Furthermore, as the number of pages increases, the price of each page decreases. A book containing the maximum number of pages printed entirely in black ink therefore results in the lowest cost and maximum value for the artist.
Combining these two features, buyers of The Black Book can do so with the guarantee that they are getting the best possible value for their money” (blurb on Lulu).
Whether the prices mentioned and the economic calculation is accurate and whether this strategy automatically leads to a loss-making business for the print-on-demand provider is a matter of debate. The fact that Jean Keller is touching on a sensitive point here, however, is shown by the example of two other (almost all black) works whose production was refused or discontinued by Lulu: Holly Melgard’s Black Friday has not been produced for a long time due to alleged errors in the source file, and the production of Mishka Henner’s 12-volume Astronomical series, which was planned as an open edition, ended after 130 sets.
The Black Book was published in late 2010 shortly after Keller’s first appearance at Offprint Paris, first by Blurb (440 pages, 13 x 20 cm), followed by a Lulu edition in 2012 (740 pages, 14.81 x 20.98 cm). The Blurb edition is no longer available, as Jean Keller has left Blurb due to numerous problems and annoyances.
The work didn’t become more widely known until 2013, when Kenneth Goldsmith took notice and promoted it several times on social media—a connection that is confirmed with the sales figures provided by Keller. The recent mention in Art in America (June 2022) boosted sales once again.
