About Us

 

For over 34 years Piper Press has showcased leading Australian artists and art writers through books that are meticulously designed and edited to make contemporary art accessible and inspiring for all.

Our history

Founders Margaret Bishop and John Dunn had careers in art education and curriculum development when they decided to establish Piper Press, dedicating their work to representing the underrepresented: women artists, mid-career and Indigenous artists through quality publications and partnerships with galleries, curators, academics and respected writers.

Among many achievements, Piper Press has been instrumental in the Save Our Sirius campaign in which thousands of people were mobilised to prevent the destruction of the notable Sirius building in Millers Point, Sydney. In raising awareness for the campaign, John and Margaret helped to curate an art exhibition, regular events and marches, and published Sirius: a beautiful book to document the character and lives of the people who live there. The outcome of the campaign raised awareness about development in Sydney, and prevented the total destruction of the building. Sirius has now become an essential aspect of architectural education and a demonstration of architectural activism. A timeline of Piper Press’s history shows selected highlights below. 

With the global pandemic behind us, we have published three new titles and we look forward to an exiting future.

Our focus

Specialising in beautifully produced artist monographs, Piper Press has published books on many of Australia's successful artists including Fiona Hall, Del Kathryn Barton, Julie Rrap, Patricia Piccinini, Rosemary Laing, Bronwyn Oliver, Tracy Moffatt, William Robinson, Euan Macleod and more. We have also published books on architecture, photography and photographers, Asian art and visual arts books for art educators.

Piper Press takes a keen interest in women artists, Indigenous Australian artists, emerging and established artists, contemporary and Asian art, architecture and design, photography, art practice and art history.

In addition to publishing our titles, we sell a range art books. Many titles are exclusive to Piper Press and all represent the best titles on their particular subject.

2023 onwards

In late 2023, Piper Press embarked on its next phase with new owners and long-time friends: Alexei Mazin and Kathryn Franco. Under the skilled stewardship of Margaret and John during this transition, Piper Press will continue to work with its valued artists, writers and partners to grow and include new artist monographs, while expanding architecture, design and photography publications.

 

PIPER PRESS - A TIMELINE

Publication of Fever Pitch by Tracey Moffatt and Gael Newton, and featuring Tracey’s renown 1989 series 'Something More'.

1998 Publisher Margaret Bishop with editor, curator and author Victoria Lynn and publisher John Dunn at the launch of our book on Australia photomedia artist Julie Rrap.

Piper Press’s Fiona Hall
monograph by Julie Ewington was another highlight in Piper Press’s journey and coincided with major exhibitions at QAGOMA, Art Gallery of South Australia and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery.

2008 Curator and author Victoria Lynn follows up with an iconic second publication on artist Julie Rrap’s work titled Julie Rrap Body Double.

William Robinson monograph coinciding with a major exhibition The Transfigured Landscape celebrating the artist’s award winning portraits and expansive landscapes.

Piper Press publishes the stunning
Rosemary Laing book by Abigail
Solomon-Godeau in which Laing achieves images that render the impossible possible through her ingenious use of perspective and lighting.

Our publication of Patricia Piccinini: Nearly Beloved by Helen Mcdonald, in which her Piccinini's ground breaking sculptures take us to parallel domains and worlds of charming but unsettling beings.

Publication of Fiona Hall Wrong Way Time coinciding with the 56th Venice Biennale and the inaugural exhibition at the new Australian Pavilion which was an immersive installation focussed on the intersection of global politics, world finances and the environment. Book photo by Collider agency.

Launching the late artist Bronwyn Oliver’s monograph, written by Hannah Fink. This has been an enormous privilege and a extremely successful title as readers continue to take interest in Bronwyn's work. Photo courtesy: John Dunn.

Piper Press proudly published Half The Sky, the first and only Australian book on contemporary Chinese women artists, by Luise
Guest (right). Photo courtesy: John Dunn.

In 2017 we launched Sirius, during the Save Our Sirius campaign, a truly community effort which brought people from all over the state and country to support protection of this iconic, important public housing building.Publisher and writer John Dunn, with co-writers Ben Peake and Amiera Piscopo.

Recovering from the global pandemic, Piper Press published ...creating a sense of place and +urban thinking on the work of Australian architects Darrel Conybeare and Bill Morrison.