Book Advising Services: Motto Books (Berlin, Paris, and Beyond), Librairie des Colonnes (Tangier).

The book advising services offered by Librairie des Colonnes (Tangier) and Motto Books (Berlin and Paris) are rooted in the collaborative aim of contextualising, enriching, and diagramming art environments through the means of print publications.

Founded in 1949, Librairie des Colonnes holds a venerable place in the literary and cultural mosaic of North Africa, its legacy now enriched by a dynamic partnership with Motto Books, a pioneering publisher, distributor, and bookseller that has carved its own path as a visionary force in independent publishing through its dedication to bolstering and creating alternative distribution networks with global reach. Together, we offer a sanctuary for the curious.

Situated in Tangier’s beating heart, Librairie des Colonnes began as a refuge for expatriate writers, artists, and intellectuals, flourishing into a cultural nexus. Renovated in 2010 by Pierre Bergé, Librairie des Colonnes enchants with its custom wooden shelves that bridge Moroccan and global perspectives through the city’s continued literary resurgence.

Motto boasts a sales-catalogue of over 35,000 titles, which includes special artist editions, rare periodicals, and many self-published formats. Bridging international distribution with exhibition and publication projects offers an opportunity to showcase a commitment to amplifying independent voices and offer access to alternative forms of knowledge production from disparate regions around the world.

Renovated in 2010 by Pierre Bergé, Librairie des Colonnes enchants with its custom wooden shelves, a haven for book lovers, while Motto Books’ publications—born from Berlin, refined in Paris, and distributed worldwide—marry daring content with striking design. Today, Librairie des Colonnes and Motto Books shine as beacons of their cities’ creative identities—Tangier’s enduring heritage, Berlin’s fearless innovation, Paris’s elegant artistry, and the boundless ambition of Motto’s global network.

Our book advising services unite Tangier’s storied bookstore with Motto’s generative model of experimental circulation of visual, sonographic, and textual materials within the context of contemporary art, allowing us to provide a curated journey for collectors, scholars, and enthusiasts.

In an era defined by rapid transformation and pressing global challenges, our collections offer a deep dive into the forces that illuminate and shape today’s world. The multilingual selection encompasses perspectives that question power structures, explore cultural exchanges, and reflect on humanity’s response to an ever-shifting geopolitical landscape. Whether you are a researcher seeking insight into contemporary debates, or a curious mind grappling with the present, we are ready to guide you through this rich reservoir of monographs, experimental publishing, anthologies, journals, magazines, illustration, experimental design, poetry, artist books, vinyl, limited editions, art history, critical studies, literature, historical analysis, and rare archival titles.

Contact: office (at) mottodistribution.com