London: Kulturalis launch & more
Our senior colleague Barbara Rannegger accompanied the publishing house Müller & Schindler to London and shares her impressive experiences with us. She talks about the birth of Kulturalis and provides insights into our work: this time, a colour check at the British Library was on our agenda:
First insights
The official and personal invitation to the launch of Kulturalis, a publishing house specialising in art books and museum catalogues, arrives in my mailbox. I immediately dig out my diary – yes, I still write my notes the traditional way, namely by hand in my agenda – and am delighted that nothing stands in the way of my visit to London.
Thus, after a very long time (I lived in London for six months before my studies), I set foot on English soil on the 10th of March 2024, one day before the launch of Kulturalis at the Savile Club and two days before the start of the London Book Fair at Olympia London. Although a lot of water has run down the Thames in the meantime, London has hardly changed: the same smells, the same flair, packed underground trains, fine rain… I enjoy the English atmosphere, let it work its magic on me, and a slight restlessness spreads through me, as I have the feeling that I have far too little time to experience this unique metropolis in all its facets. 48 hours in London isn’t much, but it’s definitely enough time to enjoy the familiar and experience something new.
Colour check at the British Library
Invigorated by an English breakfast, I take the underground to King’s Cross & St Pancras International to start the next day with a visit to the British Library. On the agenda we have the colour check of a 13th century codex from Genoa and I’m allowed to witness how page after page of the original manuscript is compared with the proofs. This step in the production process of a facsimile is one of the most important procedures in order to faithfully reproduce the colours as well as the beauty of a work ensuring the highest quality. Suddenly, time stands still; there is only the codex and us, the silence of the library, the turning of the book pages, an occasional whisper, a fascination with the incredible imagery and the impressive details of the manuscript, absolute peace, and relaxation – mindfulness in the truest sense of the word.
After about two hours, we are brought back to the here and now. We take the underground to the hotel to get dressed up for the evening: for the Kulturalis launch.
Kulturalis’ birth at the Savile Club
The gala gown is in place, the hairstyle is just right, and a slight nervousness mixed with great anticipation is perceptible. The London taxis are already waiting outside the door to take us to the Savile Club. This gentlemen’s club was established in 1868 by a group of the most distinguished writers and artists of the time. Its home is a fine 18th Century house in the heart of Mayfair, whose air of elegant exclusivity reflects the uniquely creative ambiance, which continues to flourish in the Savile Club of today and makes it the ideal venue for the launch of the new publishing house Kulturalis.
Julian Platt, founder and chairman of Third Millennium Publishing and personal advisor to the Kulturalis board, opens the event with welcoming words and leads on to Neil Titman, managing director and founder of Kulturalis. We can feel the euphoria, the passion with which Neil introduces his team as well as the anticipation and drive that resonates in his speech. A young, dynamic team of experts, who shares the same goal of making the diverse cultural heritage accessible, disseminating it through unique publications and bringing it closer to a global audience. He also thanks Charlotte Kramer, our publishing director, and Alexander Wilhelm, our vice president for international marketing and business development, for this joint and promising cultural project. Finally, Charlotte presents our host Julian Platt with a fine facsimile single page as a thank you for his efforts and for welcoming us in this exquisite club. Very personal speeches from both Charlotte and Alexander about their shared interest in art and culture, the cultural exchange and the great support from their respective families rounded off the official part of the event.
A wonderful and successful evening in an exclusive setting comes to an end. The guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves and had plenty of time to socialise, share experiences and clink their glasses to the birth of Kulturalis. And the next day, this very event was – how could it be otherwise – the number one topic of conversation at the London Book Fair!
It’s time to say goodbye
I set off on my journey home, enjoying the last few hours in London before boarding the plane and reflecting on the last two days. A unique stay comes to an end, and I take all the new impressions and acquaintances with me with great joy.