A conversation with Ben Gutcher, Head of UK Sales at Thames & Hudson
How did T&H get its name?
Thames & Hudson is named after the two major rivers in the cities we originally had offices in – London and New York. Since then we have expanded to have presences in Paris, Hong Kong and Australia. Our logo is two dolphins which stands for friendship and knowledge.
Tell us about the company ethos. Has it evolved over time?
The founding principle of Thames & Hudson was ‘a museum without walls’. Our mission from our inception was to bring art to the whole world in an affordable way. This is still a key principle of our business and is seen in our World of Art and Art Essentials series. Over time we have also become well known for our production values. When you buy a Thames & Hudson book one can be sure it will not just be interesting and inspiring but also a beautiful object.
Tell us about some of your favourite titles and your biggest successes
One of my favourite titles is The Writer’s Map which delves into how geography can be a huge part of fictional storytelling. With contributions from authors such a Philip Pullman, Joanne Harris, David Mitchell, and Cressida Cowell this book gives great insight into many of my favourite novels. One of our biggest successes of recent years was Spring Cannot Be Cancelled by David Hockney. It was such a privilege to work on a book that gave such a message of hope just as we were emerging from the pandemic.
