Imprimitiv was founded circa 2009 as a publication platform helmed by Sébastien Conard, Stijn Cremers, Tom Lambeens and Jan Op de Beeck. The collective develops periodical publications and monographs in the broad artistic realm of word and image, including graphics, design, typography and comics. Imprimitiv soon evolved into an artists’ collective that, in addition to realising a handful of publications, also organised a number of group exhibitions. Imprimitiv explores the possibilities of crossovers between word and image as well as the idea of a collective editorial team. The three existing editions of Aambacht remain the only tangible evidence of Imprimitiv’s activities, aside from a limited archive and a blog. Involved in the upcoming Aambacht 4 are the following variable members: Michaël Bouchez, Sébastien Conard, Stijn Cremers, Jasper de Pagie, Joris De Rycke, Veerle Herremans, Bert Joostens, Tom Lambeens, Naninga Lens, Veva Leye, Jelle Martens, Marlies Martens, Jan Op de Beeck, Pieter Van Troos.


Aambacht 3 applies an seemingly strict division between text and image, and is the result of a more elaborate group-editorial approach, whereby images were also produced by responding to each other’s initial contributions. This edition was put together following a consistent editing process, including in the graphic design provided by Jelle Martens. Toward the end of the collective editorial process, there was the leading idea of a parade of words and images, with the two texts delving deeper into questions relating to the experience of images and fantasies. These reflective articles cast the reader’s mind back to their experience of the varied succession of drawings, photographs, photo montages, collages, poems, fragments and formal elements.




Author(s): IMPRIMITIV
Title: Aambacht 3
Publication year: 2016
Edition: 100
Pages: 84
Dimensions: 20 × 27 cm
Print: Digital print
Specifications: Stapled



Graphic poetic diptych exploring possible relations between words and images. While Grid (electric blue book) confronts one-word, abstract concepts such as 'time' or 'power' with geometrically structured prints from metallic street plates (e.g. on thresholds and doorsteps or for drains, sewers, gas and water conducts), Lamer (rust-colored book) alternates frottages, pictorial accidents and more deliberately constructed images with short, multi-lingual and polysemic sentences, evoking waterside memories amongst other things.

Grid: 74 pp., 14,8 x 21 cm, 200 copies, monochrome offset, Imprimitiv, 2013. Lamer: 52 pp., 14,8 x 21 cm, 200 copies, monochrome offset, Imprimitiv, 2013. Book design by Stijn Cremers.

Presentation and exhibition of Grid/Lamer in Croxhapox, Ghent, 7 November 2013 + a panel talk with Kasper Andreasen, Hans Demeyer, Tom Van Imschoot and Charlotte Pylyser.

Set-up with originals of Grid/Lamer as part of the group show Wild Grid by Zwart Wild in De Koer, Ghent, 1-3 May 2015.


Contributions by Jan Op de Beeck, Veerle Herremans, Benjamin Monti, Warja Lavater, Tom Lambeens, Arnoud van Adrichem, Olivier Schrauwen, François Van Damme, Gerard Herman, Yūichi Yokoyama, Sébastien Conard, Walter Swennen en Joris De Rycke. Editors: Sébastien Conard, Stijn Cremers, Tom Lambeens & Jan Op de Beeck. Book design: Stijn Cremers.




Author(s): IMPRIMITIV
Title: Aambacht 2
Publication year: 2012
Edition: 150
Pages: 68
Dimensions: 15 × 17 cm
Print: Digital print
Specifications: Perfect bound
ISBN: 9781151024398 



Schrijven zoals in Lissabon by Jan Baetens & Olivier Deprez. Contributions by Elisabeth Tonnard, Jelle Joseph, François Van Damme, Tom Lambeens, Rosaire Appel, Ilan Manouach & Pedro Moura, Laurent Kling, Peter Hulsmans. Editors: Sébastien Conard, Stijn Cremers, Tom Lambeens & Jan Op de Beeck. Book design: Stijn Cremers. See on Aambacht #1: Jan Baetens, 'Twee lessen over cultuur en industrie.', Rekto:Verso, 2007



Author(s): IMPRIMITIV
Title: Aambacht 1
Publication year: 2010
Edition: 150
Pages: 68
Dimensions: 15 × 17 cm
Print: Offset print
Specifications: Stapled
ISBN: 9781151018595