Shortlist: Magazine of the Year
Last week, we met (and Skyped) with the judges from every category of the Stack Awards, and after hours of debate, we finally have all of the results. Now, our trophy designers are preparing the winners’ custom-made trophies in time for the our ceremony on 20 November.
Until then, here’s a look at the titles that will be contesting for Magazine of the Year. It’s wonderful to see brand new launches (Niijournal, Migrant Journal) amongst independent titles that have been going stronger year on year (Harvard Design Magazine, Works That Work), and nice to have Gail Bichler, design director of The New York Times Magazine, and Jeremy Leslie, founder of magCulture join forces to judge this category again.
212 | Istanbul
Published out of Istanbul, 212 is an arts and culture biannual showcasing a lovely curation of paintings, photography, illustrations, essays and fiction from around the world, that speaks to the Turkish city’s unique merge of western and eastern perspectives.
Benji Knewman | Riga
Packed with charming stories from Latvia, Benji Knewman is one of those magazines that will show you people and things you wouldn’t come across elsewhere. Its personable language and ability to show lives as they are makes us want to pack our bags for Riga every time.
Berlin Quarterly | Berlin
Berlin Quarterly is a European review of long form journalism, literature and the arts. But their stories are far from Euro-centric — their coverage stretches to the furtherest corners of the world, and their aim is to contribute towards a more tolerant and outward-looking world by exploring diverse aspects of contemporary life.
Buffalo Zine | London
Buffalo Zine subverts serious fashion publications through dark humour, intelligent writing, and a playful, irreverent attitude. This season, the editors decided to make the entire magazine without leaving their building or checking social media, because they didn’t want to look at what everyone else was looking at.
Clog | New York
Analysing design in forensic detail, Clog explored the controversial subject of gun culture this issue. But instead of an ‘anti’ or ‘pro’ gun debate of this politically-charged subject, they critically study the deadly object to offer a complex variety of perspectives.
Editorial Magazine| Montréal
Founded by artist Claire Milbrath (whose paintings deserve attention on their own) Editorial Magazine champions the freaks and geeks of contemporary art, culture and fashion. Expect an engaging, humorous and mind-arousing curation of musician interviews, artist profiles, and more.
Foam | Amsterdam
Platforming all kinds of photography — “from documentary to fashion to contemporary to history” — Foam is a carefully considered magazine featuring interviews, opinion pieces and portfolios. This annual ‘Talent’ issue showcases the works of 20 outstanding young artists.
Good Trouble | Brooklyn
Inspired by the American politician and civil rights protestor John Lewis, and his call for “good trouble, necessary trouble,” this is a magazine that wants you to protest and resist. Laid bare on A2 newsprint, its chaotic (yet directionally clear) layout is an interesting way to pay homage to the original broadsheet.
Harvard Design Magazine | Cambridge
Published out of Harvard Graduate School of Design, this is an innovative, beautifully put together review of architecture, photography, graphic design, and how these disciplines intersect with their sociopolitical context.
Migrant Journal | London
Migrant Journal is a six-issue publication taking a thorough, scientific examination of migration. Every ounce of the magazine is extremely well-considered — from a visual narrative based on an atlas in their ‘Across Country’ issue, to the way infographics pave the way for an alternative point of entry to the subject, and metallic inks and micro-embossed pages that create an immersive reading experience.
Niijournal | London
With the byline to “educate, not irritate”, Niijournal offers a space for thoughtful and inclusive discussions on representation and empowerment within race. Founder Campbell Addy’s excellent camerawork can be found throughout the publication, while interviews and personal essays untangle mental health, identity, and most of all, the celebration of people of colour.
Odiseo | Barcelona
Straddling the line between fine art and eroticism, Odiseo’s imaginative editorial direction is quietly subversive — eschewing the conventional definition of porn magazines, they disregard gender boundaries to present allure and seduction through bodies and abstraction instead.
Printed Pages | London
A biannual distillation of the incredibly popular design website It’s Nice That, Printed Pages is an inspirational flick through the latest and most exciting contemporary design. Their curation veers towards the witty, the irreverent, and the inventive — picking it up will no doubt leave you a little more giddy and a lot more inspired.
Sabat | London
Sabat is a journal of contemporary witchcraft, but it is just as interested in feminism as it is exploring and not feeling ashamed of our darker selves. Packed with design trickery, it uncovers occult communities around the world to show how living like a witch today can be a meditative and empowering experience.
Works That Work | The Hague
A magazine of unexpected creativity, Works That Work examines projects that speak to the impact of design, and the way they challenge and change perceptions.
New issues (No.9) just out. All about sports and games, exploring activities that brings people together.https://t.co/BpJq8DzMgv pic.twitter.com/YGEVkEi9OI
— Works That Work (@WorksThatWork) May 9, 2017
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