 | |
| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 |
| Founders | Sebastian Clark and India Ennenga |
| Distribution | Worldwide |
| Official website | https://isolarii.com/ |
Isolarii, stylized as ISOLARII, is an avant-garde media company founded by Sebastian Clark. [1] Launched in September 2020, the company is known for its multimedia projects, international activity and unique palm-sized book format. [2]
The company was launched after Clark's 2014 experience employed at a smartphone factory in Dongguan, China and reading René Daumal’s allegorical adventure novel Mount Analogue , which he saw as “the anti-iPhone.” From their sending each other more and more books the next few years, the concept of Isolarii developed. [3]
In November 2020, Isolarii published F Letter: New Russian Feminist Poetry, which emerged as a symbol for anti-government protests in Russia. [4]
In 2021, Isolarii released Street Cop, a collaborative work by Robert Coover and Art Spiegelman. The release received acclaim from NPR , and was described by The New York Times as a "palm-sized lark." [5]
In 2022, "The War Diary of Yevgenia Belorusets" marked Isolarii's debut in digital reportage. Co-published with Der Spiegel, it was translated daily into various languages. It was adapted into a podcast episode for This American Life [6] and, on March 3, 2023, was cited by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz when announcing changes to Germany's military support for Ukraine. It was later published in print as part of the volume In The Face of War. As an afterword, photographer Nan Goldin officiated a marriage between artists Nikita Kadan and Anti Gonna. [7]
Dominick Ammirati wrote in Artforum that “the press has succeeded at imbuing the book form with the psychophysical qualities of a mala, a rosary, kombolói, a smartphone—objects that you pick up and feel almost anxious letting go of.” [2]
Isolarii has been described by curator Hans Ulrich Obrist as an “ingenious book club.” [8]
In 2023, Isolarii faced criticism from former Fox News correspondent Tucker Carlson. [8]