Things

This week we snatched out the postman’s hands: one abstracted book from Jochen Gerner; one large format look-book-zine, visualised by Martin Parr; one occasionally; appearing, always excellent copy of Things Magazine; one spooky love zine by Coby Walsh; two posters, one one-sided, one two-sided, both from Alain de Bottom and Anthony Burrill.

Things 19-20 Hildi Hawkins & Jonathon Bell, Editors

The occasional nature of Things Magazine’s appearance, the un-precious form it takes, soft cover, sugary stock and fuss-less type – none of these factors deny it as a good looking thing, but that’s not the point – it’s all in the content. It’s a forum for an independent group of writers and historians, for the “free discussion of objects, their pasts, presents and futures.” Topics covered include mini-beasts and proximity of towels.
www.thingsmagazine.net

Abstraction (1941-1968) Jochen Gerner

This beautifully dark and interesting narrative (what we believe to be) recounting of the Ark Royal and the Bismark, is a welcome continuation for Gerner – a visual theme of isolated words, emphasising their significance on the page into a tonal and minimally composed bande dessinee. The fractured story has a tone that is mimicked subtly by the build up of textures, what could be crops or close-ups, and a conceptual meaning that is easily felt but harder to describe.
www.jochengerner.com
www.lassociation.fr

Spooky Love, Issue One Coby Walsh

Loving this happy zine of shiny eyed, mildly creepy (goes with the title) characters from illustrator Coby Walsh. Simply a nicely pieced together collection of drawings and ideas, we just wondered what brain has an idea like giving fast food eyes… but apparently there’s a word for that – pareidolia. Thanks for (inadvertently) widening our vocab’ Coby.
www.cobywalsh.co.uk

Urban Outfitters Summer Preview 2011 Martin Parr, photography

UO always seem to push the boat out with their collection previews and printed matter. Summer 2011 doesn’t disappoint with a top name (Martin Parr) providing brilliant colours and aesthetic clashes of pattern and product in a very nicely turned out large format zine. Above and beyond you’re standard “look book”, as UO have shown in the past with the likes of Harmony Korine having a go, Parr has this one down with an exotic tourist poundland-motherland in rainbow effect going on.
www.martinparr.com
www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk

GraphicDesign& Alain De Bottom & Anthony Burrill

Alain de Bottom’s way with words finds a natural visual ally in the strong typographic work that comes so naturally to Anthony Burrill. A very fitting partnership for a double-sided poster, sprung from the recent GraphicDesign& event at the Design Museum, addressing the “stereotypical perceptions of seemingly opposing approaches to life.” And from both collaborators there’s the acknowledgement that it’s not just a way with words but how you say them that counts. This is a good way/say, we think.
www.graphicdesignand.com