Capturing art and subcultures: interview with Veins Books

What generates a subculture? To put it very briefly: exclusion from mainstream culture or the creation of cultural patterns that oppose it. From the mohawks and torn ties of punks to the grunge flannel shirts that inspired - and then got - Marc Jacobs fired from Perry Ellis in 1993, subcultures have always influenced art, music, and ways of life. However, in the fragmented postmodern era and the algorithmic rotation of our smartphones, it has become impossible to speak of true subcultures today. Yet for the younger generations, subcultures still hold a fascination precisely due to their absence. The Veins Books project was born out of this absence: «I wanted to create a place that doesn't exist in Milan - says founder Nicola Bortoletto -  and connect with others, filling this void with people who share my interests and appreciate the rarity and authenticity of the objects I collect.» Veins Books is an atypical online bookstore dedicated to researching and curating rare, cult, collectible, and hard-to-find volumes, focused on underground aesthetics and subcultures. To discuss the uniqueness of this “non-space,” which will soon materialize in a physical pop-up in Milan on 12 and 13 October in Via Friuli 8/A from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., we met with Bortoletto for a conversation that seeks to address the fundamental question: what makes a book rare?

How did you get into curation and art?  

Collecting started as a fetish for me, a pure interest that developed during my high school years, thanks to a wonderful library full of significant volumes. I became passionate about art books, particularly those on Informal Art and Arte Povera, and from there, my research expanded, always following a non-conventional aesthetic. Later, I moved to Milan to study fashion design at NABA, then I started working as a menswear designer for Ann Demeulemeester before I graduated. Now I am in charge of special projects and brand image development. Veins Books is a project born two years ago that enriches itself with my experiences, travels, and research.

It's impossible not to ask a curator what makes a book rare.  

For me, collecting books is a matter of feeling: I can recognize a rare book by the emotion it gives me at first glance. My first one was Arte Povera by Germano Celant, which I found when I was about 17 years old. Among the most valuable in my collection are Mapplethorpe: Early Works and the performance catalog of Hermann Nitsch. In every city I visit, I look for independent bookstores, like Motto Books in Berlin, OFR in Paris, or IDEA in London. However, even though these places are a source of inspiration for me, my research stands out for a dirtier and rawer aesthetic, oriented towards the avant-garde of the '70s.

When did you decide to turn a passion, a fetish, into a profession?

Over the last five or six years, I’ve been managing an archive that I decided to make public last September through a kind of "open apartment tour," similar to an open library, organizing two events at my home: one in September and one a few months ago. It was a pop-up idea that addressed the lack of a dedicated space for this type of exhibition, while also contributing to a more intimate atmosphere for those coming to discover my books. Now I feel the need to take this project further, making it more tangible and concrete, turning it into a meeting and exhibition space in Milan, where there currently isn’t similar research. This project also comes from giving a platform to my passion by setting up spaces, meeting people, and offering others the opportunity to explore various facets of curation.

How will the project evolve in the short term? 

Hosting pop-up events at home was interesting, an intimate experience that allowed me to connect with people in a private space. In the future, I am working on a more structured project in a 120-square-meter industrial space in Milan, where I will exhibit my books next October. 

The POP-UP event will be held at Via Friuli 8/A on 12 and 13 October from 11am to 7pm. You can register here (link).