Beijing-based Jeremie Thircuir, founder of Thircuir Edtions specialized in photography books presenting contemporary photographers. 
Wang Qingsong is the most famous Chinese photographer and each of his pictures requires many models and a lot of work. 
Song Chao series of portraits of Chinese miners was published by Thircuir Editions.
This week Nicely Made in China looks at publishing, a first for us. Jeremie Thircuir, a French-born entrepreneur, created Thircuir Books in 2011, with a mission to introduce Chinese photographers to the world. We asked him a few questions about the how and why of the venture.
Jeremie, what is Thircuir Books?
Thircuir Editions publishes contemporary photography books by leading Chinese photographers and artists who use photography.
How long have you been in China and when did you create Thircuir Books?
I arrived in China in 2006 after studying economics at the Sorbonne in Paris – I headed off as soon as I received my diploma. My goal was to work in the art world. I believed that cultural development would follow economic development….and so it has turned out. First I worked for a Taiwanese gallery and then for a year for Art+ in Shanghai. I moved to Beijing in 2008 where I worked for Piech Art, founded by Anton and Xenia Piech. In January 2011 I created my own publishing house – Thircuir Books.
Why create a publishing house in China?
My objective was to give Westerners some tools and keys to understanding China – to make China more accessible. I think that outside of the country, people have a muddled vision of China, be it on an economic or political level. The books I publish can be seen as a showcase for creativity in China as well as also shedding light on the reality of the country. The photographs are presented in a way that gives insight into the life and work of each artist.
How many books have you published so far and what’s your initial print run?
We started off by publishing 5 books at the same time and now we have 6 on offer, with another 4 ready to launch. Each book consists of 96 pages, and with an initial print run of 6,000 copies, they are priced at £8.90 or US$12.90.
Which photographers are featured?
In China right now, there are many different artistic movements, and I like to think our books illustrate that richness and diversity. Among the photographers we’ve published so far are Song Chao and Yang Yong. Song Chao’s black and white portraits of Chinese miners represent a type of social documentary, whilst Yang Yong’s photographs of young Chinese women in Shenzhen show us a kind of artificial world. Then there is Liu Bolin, already known to many people through his project “Hidden in the city”.
Let’s talk about the printing technique. What type of ink do you use for instance?
We use soya-based inks, as they give much more precise colors. All our books are made of natural papers with U.V. filters which gives a beautiful smooth finish making people want to stroke our books.
Where can Nicely Made in China readers buy Thircuir books?
NMiC readers can buy our books in selected bookstores and major online retailer like Amazon. Check out retailers near where you live: www.thircuir.com
