About

Akerman Daly is Jeremy Akerman and Eileen Daly. We formed our collaboration in 2004 with the intention of publishing writing by contemporary artists. Since 2011 AD have worked with artist Paul Abbott who co-produces our live work and the website.

Artists have always used writing, whether that is notes to themselves, letters, theory, art criticism, plays, poems, manifestos, novels or journalism. We see this writing as an integral part of an artist’s work. It interests us because in it we find much that expands and challenges ideas about what art is.

We develop projects to be realised in print, online or through performances, seeing artists’ writings as complementing and extending what artists do — contributing in a specific way to the art community.

Most of our work begins with a conversation. We discuss what we’ve seen or read, and ideas emerge. The conversations then bring in other people until the form begins to takes shape.

Our first book was an anthology of short fiction stories that was published by Serpents Tail in 2006. The Alpine Fantasy of Victor B and Other Stories contains seventeen newly commissioned short stories by artists from different generations and artistic practice. In 2008 we recorded an interview with Jon Thompson about how and why he writes for fellow artists; this has led to a compilation of his writings, which was published by Ridinghouse in 2011. In 2012 we launch Paul Rooney’s Dust and Other Stories published in tandem with Aye-Aye Books and we will also be working towards a new book of poetry with Fabian Peake.

We work closely alongside artists giving individual attention to develop their work; our online residencies have proved very successful and are now in their second year with Katrina Palmer and Heather Phillipson taking over from Patrick Coyle and Edward Allington. We have developed our online presence since 2010 through publishing interviews with artists, serialised stories, new writing, artworks, audio and video. We offer resident artists critical feedback, editorial, technical and publishing support, against the wider backdrop of their work and interests.

Akerman Daly has also taken part in a number of associate events. In 2009 Jeremy Akerman chaired Existential Territories for Book Works, a series of six events that focused on artists’ writings. Speakers included: Maria Fusco, Janice Kerbel, Stewart Home, Andrew Hunt, Nina Power, Clunie Reid, Paul Buck, Lynne Tillman, Kit Hammond and Emily Wardill, among others. 2011 saw the launch event for Jon Thompson’s book The Collected Writing of Jon Thompson at the Whitechapel Gallery and we were  guest speakers at Komplot, Brussels alongside graphic designers BoeckBerg in 2012. We are currently hosting a writing and editing workshop with Crescent Arts in Scarborough for a group of artists and writers.

Eileen Daly is a freelance editor for galleries and publishers including Modern Art Oxford, Berlin Biennale, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Book Works and Ridinghouse.
Jeremy Akerman is an artist, curator and lecturer.
Paul Abbott is an artist.