Long Distance Press

Adam Shield and Thomas Whittle established Long Distance Press in 2013 to formalise their collaborative practice, enabling Shield and Whittle to be artist, publisher, printer, and curator simultaneously. Working between Glasgow, Newcastle, London and Edinburgh. Together they explore the research, drawing and works on paper that often live at the unseen edges of an artists’ practice.

For 10 years Adam Shield and Thomas Whittle have been sending each other artworks through the mail. These posted collages, drawings, beer matts, and photographs are shared snippets of what is going on in their studios, created in relay, each responding to the last. This private correspondence morphed into collaborative zines, art book fairs, workshops, and exhibition making, gathered together under the umbrella Long Distance Press (LDP).

LPD works closely with artists to produce new artworks, artist books and editions that often include areas of practice that are overlooked or undervalued. By offering a space for exploration and collaboration, LDP achieve new and exciting publications which sit uncomfortably between published book and small press artist edition. Employing a myriad of different processes, paper stock and binding methods, they produce printed ephemera that is tactile, intentionally lo-fi and inky to touch. LDP ably demonstrates an open-mindedness to making, collaboration and skills sharing. Their approach actively seeks to empower others to become visible and included in the cultural conversation.

To date LDP has published over twenty artist books with invited artists from across Europe. Other projects include exhibition making, public artwork, workshops and book fairs. Recent projects: POST MARKS (Strange Cargo, Folkestone), HOP STEP (Folkestone West Train Station), BLAST BEAT (Priestman Gallery, Sunderland), Greetings (Mauve, Vienna), IMAGE DRUM (The Royal Academy of London).