Need to know: The evidence

The art-book publisher's desk

Edward Booth-Clibborn is the publisher of Booth-Clibborn Editions whose forthcoming publications include `Young British Art: the Saatchi Decade'

"This is a tragedy - a list of wine (1) that was stolen from my house. My son painted the ladybird (2) paperweight for me at school; he gets terribly upset if I don't keep it on my desk. A Japanese photographer (3) brought me in a proposal for a book. I'm very interested in contemporary Japanese photography - how they look at themselves and relate to their culture. Some guys from MTV approached us with an idea for a book about sneakers (4). We don't have a format as I really believe its shape and feel must reflect the concept inside. People come to us with ideas, if it's good enough I'll give them an air ticket so they can go and make it work. Shootback (5) is a really interesting idea - children in the slums of Nairobi photographing each other. Some of it is really disturbing. I keep every article I see on Alexander McQueen (6), I'm fascinated by him. I have a very large collection of illustrations which are housed in a museum in Hull, these are marvellous old cigarette advertisements (7) that someone had thrown out."

Interview by Aoife O'Riordain

Photography by Claudia Janke