Things

Hello from Things. Hello to Studio Thomson and their Communication Visuelle, to Darius D. Himes & Mary Virginia Swanson and their instructive manual on all things photographic publishing, to Erin Spens and to Jacob Denno, the editors of Boat Magazine and Popshot respectively. Finally, hello Critical Practice, your public modes of assembly and forms of address are most engaging.

La Communication Visuelle est le Langage du Temps Présent Studio Thomson

Printing a newspaper presents an immediacy to the appeal of Studio Thomson’s projects, making their campaign shoots and design work somewhat tangible. In the case of a lovely spread of an illustration lifted from Petra Börner’s website, there are examples of a return to an appropriate form with content that might otherwise be seen and forgotten on screen.
www.studiothomson.com

Publish Your Photography Book Darius D. Himes & Mary Virginia Swanson

Words like “comprehensive” and “insight” come to mind when perusing this very clean and classically designed volume. Spanning the context to the photography book “phenomenon”, the nitty gritty on publishing, the making and the marketing of The Book and most illuminating (particularly for the non-photographers) case studies. By it’s own admission it is “the first book to demystify the process of process of producing and publishing a book of photographs”.
www.papress.com

Boat Magazine Erin Spens, Editor

Very taken with this magazine that pushes itself with an original ethos, succeeding quite spectacularly at it’s attempt to present the Bosnian city Sarajevo as the protagonist of their story. Some truly lovely bits of writing reflecting on the image of Sarajevo, more often than not dictated by the Balkan wars, and inspiring you to revise your own misconceptions. Noteworthy contributors include Dave Eggers, Danis (“the Oscar-winning city councillor”) Tanovic and some nicely pitched photography by Max Knight.
www.boat-mag.com

Popshot: The Childhood Issue Jacob Denno, Editor

A small art publication, very nicely printed and intent on “hoodwinking poetry back from the clammy hands of tweed jackets…”, using contemporary illustration as a happy partner in their efforts. Great cross section of emerging illustrative talents and a couple interviews featuring Peepshow and Mr Bingo to seal the deal. A nice medium for poetry submissions and generally just getting to read contemporary poetry away from the screen.
www.popshotpopshot.com

Parade – Public Modes of Assembly and Forms of Address Neil Cummings and Critical Practice, Editors. Catherine Nippe, Book Design

Critical Practice is the vehicle of thought for a number of researchers, academics and artists who, with the support of the CCW Graduate School, have documented their recent participatory event in Parade. With content specifically made to provoke inclusion and discussion, the design, in the deft hands of Catherine Nippe, has an almost conversational aesthetic and is therefore quite engaging in its own right. The whole shebang looks/looked amazing if the book is anything to go by, a real cluster to watch.
www.criticalpracticechelsea.org
www.cnippe.com