Graphic Design: Munich show celebrates this milennium's indie magazine stars

The celebration of the new vibrancy in independent publishing has taken many forms, but a new show at Munich’s Haus der Kunst is one of the most interesting. Paper Weight – Genre-defining magazines 2000 to Now is curated by PIN-UP editor Felix Burrichter and focuses on 15 titles produced since the turn of the millennium including Apartamento, 032c, BUTT, Picnic, Girls Like Us, Sang Bleu, Bidoun and White Zinfandel (which at just two years old is the most recent tome on show).

The aim of the show is not just to introduce these titles to visitors who may be unfamiliar with them, but also to explore “the larger cultural significance of these niche magazines’ editorial and design perspectives.”

Felix says: “Whoever establishes a magazine is automatically an optimist. The logistical challenges in producing a printed product are high, and, in the digital age, all
signs point against such an undertaking. Idealism is a key concept, and the first issues of a magazine often constitute a kind of manifesto.”

Athens based artist/architect Andreas Angelidakis has designed a really immersive gallery-going experience, with huge walk-through spreads from each as well as areas designed to anchor the magazines in their specific cultural context.

A timely showcase of those fighting back against the assumptions of a digitally-dominated media landscape.

Paper Weight – Genre-defining magazines 2000 to Now runs until October 27.