For four days over 70 art publishers from 16 countries turned the Whitechapel Gallery into a book and magazines fest. Contemporary Lynx took part in the magCulture Quarter for the second time. We had a chance to browse and see some of the new indie titles, and to get a fresh update on the magazine industry. We’ve also made friends with some of the other publishers. Take a look at how exciting and incredible magazines can be!
It’s Freezing in LA
IFLA! is an independent magazine with a fresh perspective on climate change. Too often, environmental discussion is polarised into one of the two categories: the remote, technical language of science, or the hot-headed outrage of activism. “We find the middle ground, inviting writers and illustrators from a variety of fields to give us their take on how climate change will affect — and is affecting — society.” – say the editors. IFLA! provides original, engaging and surprising content — expanding environmental discussion and offering a range of vocabulary and insights not found elsewhere.
OKIDO
OKIDO’s philosophy is a simple one: every child is a creative scientist. The OKIDO world immerses young children in a spectrum of playful activities and media, all intelligently designed by science and education experts. At the heart of it all lies STEAM learning (that’s science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics). Everything in the OKIDO world is designed by aforementioned experts to encourage collaboration, curiosity, exploration, discovery, creativity and critical thinking.
This independent publication started by parents from a kitchen table in Brixton in 2007 was first designed to fire up young imaginations and spark a life-long love of art and science.
OOF
OOF is a magazine which explores the relationship between art and football. Each issue covers a wide range of topics and examines the influence of football across a diverse set of artists and artworks. “From Flemish landscapes filled with children kicking around animal bladders in the snow to immersive multi-screen contemporary video installations, football acts as a symbol: a metaphor for national obsession, passion, physicality, belief, and any number of powerful human emotions and experiences,” says founder and editor Eddy Frankel.
Sabat Magazine
This biannual magazine takes a look at the darker side of femininity.” It is about witchcraft, rituals and spirituality. “I wanted it to be multi-layered – on the surface about the 90s witchcraft, something fun, that you just play with in passing. But on a deeper level, something to empower women to not shy away from their more complex, darker urges.” Said the editor Elisabeth Krohn in an interview for Vice (2016).
Arcades Magazine
Arcades is a magazine on the culture and lifestyle of suburbs, founded by Wendy Huynh. “It’s mainly a photography magazine, with a focus on documenting. It also presents artists or designers that work around the theme of suburbs, or who are from the suburbs, through interviews and fashion editorials” – said the editor in an interview with Stack.
Contra Journal
Contra is a not-for-profit independent publication that considers the relationship between visual culture and conflict. Published annually, each issue takes on a theme related to conflict and considers its role in the visual culture, both past and present. Conflict fuels the work of many artists, photographers and other visual practitioners. In an era in which images are increasingly ubiquitous and have the ability to shape public opinion, it is important to analyse the way we perceive conflict. Our aim at Contra is to give space to and question these intersections in print and through an ongoing events programme.
