Rizzoli Launches New Imprint

By Rachel Deahl -- Publishers Weekly, 1/13/2009 1:15:00 PM

Rizzoli has launched a new imprint to expand the publisher's hold on the museum market. Skira Rizzoli International will be based in the Italian company's New York City office with Rizzoli New York president Charles Mier overseeing it. Mier, who said Rizzoli has already found success collaborating on titles with museums for various exhibitions -- he cited books like Andrew Wyeth and Monet in Normandy as examples -- sees Skira Rizzoli as helping the house strike more co-publishing arrangements. "We felt the time was right to formalize and expand our program in conjunction with our sister companies worldwide, bringing to museums a wider range of opportunities," Mier said.

While Rizzoli's existing staff will work on the new imprint, Karen Hansgren has been brought on as its associate publisher. Hansgen comes from a museum background and was director of publications at the New Museum of Contemporary Art. Skira Rizzoli will coordinate with Skira Flammarion in France and Skira Italy on foreign editions of its books. Skira Rizzoli is set to launch in fall 2009; a spokesperson at the publisher said that the number of titles it will be releasing has not yet been finalized.