Author Archives: Periodicals/Reference Librarian
Illustration – Westvaco (1927-1954) Part I
Tucked away in the 130+ years of the Picture Collection’s Illustration categories is a sub-category with its feet in four decades. Illustration – Westvaco (1927-1954) contains 40 issues of The West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company’s publication Inspiration for Printers. Unlike the majority of content in the Picture Collection, this category contains whole magazines (as opposed to mounted individual sheets culled from magazines, books, pamphlet, etc.). It featured reprints of advertisements as well as original art and design and was itself an advertisement aimed mostly at designers and advertising agencies. The idea was to showcase paper types and printing processes to encourage the sale of paper and services. They are gorgeous and their continued vibrancy is a testament to the superior quality.
From the inside cover of n. 105 (1937):
Title page to n. 35 (1927).
n. 35 (1927) Canadian Pacific Cruises Ad. Prepared by Ray D. Lillibridge Inc., and painted by Maurice Logan. Printed on Sterling Enamel 25×38-100.
Howard Willard Referenced Cover Below
n. 116 (1939)
n. 116 Inside Cover (1939). Halftone Illustration, 133-Line Screen, By Melbourne Brindle, Depicting the Pineapple Industry of Hawaii, From and advertisement of the Hawaii Tourist Bureau, Prepared by Bowman Deute Cummings, Inc.
Cover n. 41 (1928)
n. 41 (1928). “The Midnight Express” courtesy of the Cadillac Motor Car Company. Printed by offset lithography.
n. 105 (1937) Title Page.
n. 129 (1941)
n. 158 (1946)
n. 177 (1949)
Painter: Robert Kuhn
Art Director: Kenneth Paul
Advertiser: Ethyl Corporation
Agency: Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborne Inc.
Engraving: Four color process, 120 line screen
Garage Magazine
Garage Magazine started in 2011 and, as of this post, has published two issues. The Visual Art Library has both of them. Like Hirst’s The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, Garage Magazine has a very superlative feeling about it; lethal and mysterious like an illegal arms deal, unfathomably rich and well connected, beautiful and razor sharp like a Russian model. Dasha Zhukova, from page 1, issue 1:
Harry the Hare Wears Coat and Top Hat by Jil Sander.
Frederick the Fox Wears Hat, top Hat, and Shoes by Prada. Bouquet by Missoni.
Waldorf the Wolf Wears Coat by Prada. Headpiece by Ballenciaga.
Sigmund the Seal Wears Hat by Prada. Jacket and Shirt by Marc Jacobs.
Terry the Trout wears Stripped Jacket by Louis Vuitton.
Ollie the Octopus inspired by Adriana Varejão.
Deirdre the Duck wears coat by Louis Vuitton.
Carisa the cat wears hat by Balenciaga. Jacket by Prada.
Mabel the Mouse wears hat and coat by Burberry. Die inspired by Prada.
Sally the Stork’s bundle inspired by Clare Rojas.
Sandcastles inspired by Adriana Varejão.
Orchards inspired by Mat Collishaw.
Pumpkin inspired by Yayoi Kusama.
Meadow Flowers inspired by Stella McCartney.
It really is a great magazine. Much of the content, or projects, is fashion leaning fine arts or fine art leaning fashion, and mostly too wonderful to be pigeonholed so clunkily. The actual product is impressive and lushly published, as evidenced by these Clare Rojas Patterns (4 of 12 included in issue #2 of the magazine):
Clare Rojas Patterns
Left: Black Line Harmony
Right: Red Hex
Clare Rojas Patterns
Left: Red Lightning
Right: Women
From a series called Draw Queens (credits to follow):
The magazine has humor a plenty as well, such as this series that appears in both issues, in which Derek Blasberg publishes some of his personal e-mails
From page 230 of issue #2:
From a series called Greeting from Carnyville edited by Giovanna Battaglia, starring Eugenie Niarchos, and photography by Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello:
And lastly, from Issue 1:
Lid
The Visual Arts Library recently added 9 issues of Lid Magazine.
Published by Jason Banker and Dagon James, Lid is a sumptuous black and white photography magazine that features mostly unpublished shots of mostly famous personalities. Or, as Lid has it on its about page:
“Lid Features some of the finest rare and unpublished photographs and art from the world of music, fashion, the fine arts and cinema. Artists the world over open their archives to Lid, offering extensive portfolios not seen in other magazines. Each bi-annual issues of Lid is published in all black and white, on premium paper, and printed as a limited edition for serious collectors and archivists.”
Below are all nine covers of our Lid serious library holdings along with the contents (personalities and photographers/artists) from each, and a very small sampling between the covers. I highly recommend your coming in and seeing more–they do indeed offer scores of intimate and radioactively cool photos and these scans do not do them justice.
(L) Issue #3 : Interpol by Christy Bush(cover), Debbie Harry by David Croland, David Bowie by Leee Black Childers, Iggy Pop by Gerard Malanga, with additional contributions by Stephanie Chernikowski, Jon Levicke, Benita Cassar Torreggiani, and Sam Fogarino
(R) Issue #7: Lou Reed by Dustin Pittman (cover), Kate Moss by Michel Haddi, Veruschka by Franco Rubartelli, Lady Bunny by David Croland, with additional contributions by David Wills, Peter & Alice Gowland, Michael Zagaris, Brigid Berlin, Adam Peters, and Tim Sheaffer
David Bowie in Russia from April 1973. From Issue 3. Photo by Leee Black Childers.
(L) Issue #6: Linda Evangelista by Rose Hartman (cover), Andy Warhol by Steve Schapiro, Barbra Streisand by Steve Schapiro, Maja of The Sounds by James Iha, with additional contributions by Dustin Pittman, Tim Sheaffer, Michael Zagaris, Adam Peters, and Sebastian Piras
(R) #8: Brigid Berlin by Brigid Berlin (cover), Michelle Obama by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, Madona by Marina Schiano, Michael Stipe by Jörg Steinmetz, with additional contributions by Gerard Malanga, Erik La Prade, Mauricio & Roger Padilha, Marisa Benson, Michel Haddi, Francois Nars, Ross Clifford, Michael Zagaris, Andrea Splisgar, Dustin Pittman, Adam Peters, and Tim Sheaffer
Robert Rauschenberg by Sebastian Piras. Issue 6.
(L) #12: Elizabeth Taylor (cover), Liv Tyler by David Croland, John Lennon by Jürgern Vollmer, with additional contributions by Dave Brolan, Melissa Gosnell, Bruce Lawrence, Gerard Malanga, Corinne Masucci, Billy Name, Adam Peters, Wolf Suschitzky, Klaus Voormann, David Wills, and Michale Zagaris
(R) #13 George Harrison (cover © Harrison family), Marisa Berenson by Gina Paola, George Harrison by Harry Goodwin, Grace Jones by Kate Simon with additional contributions by Marisa Berenson, Ginette Bone, Blake Boyd, Dave Brolan, Andrew Brucker, Barry Feinstein, Ross Halfin, Olivia Harrison, Gerard Malanga, Daido Moriyama, Billy Name, David Wills, and Baron Wolman
Aldous Huxley, London, 1958. By Wolf Suschitzky. Issue 12.
(L) #11: Andy Warhol by Gretchen Berg (cover), with additional contributions by Dave Brolan, Curtis Knapp, Kymara Lonergan, Gerard Malanga, Daido Moriyama, Billy Name, Jimmy Page, Adam Peters, Kate Simon, David Wills, and Michael Zagaris
(R) #14: Kurt Cobain by Jesse Frohman (cover), with additional contributions by Dave Brolan, Adam Cooper, Megan Cump, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Ross Halfin, Gerard Malanga, Gered Mankowitz, Gillian McCain, Billy Name, Dan Oppenheimer, Adam Peters, Baron Wolman, Michael Zagaris, and Firooz Zahedi
#9: Madonna by Kate Simon (cover), Marilyn Monroe by Frank Powolny, with additional contributions by Gerard Malanga, Billy Name, David Wills, Dustin Pittman, Michael Zagaris, Kate Simon, Brigid Berlin, Hamish Bowles, Adam Peters, Klaus Voormann, Christina Voormann, Benedetta Pignatelli, and Marcus Leatherdale
Marilyn Monroe on her last earthly birthday, June 1, 1962. From a 42 page portfolio curated by David Wills. Issue 9.
Evie Elman’s New Collage in the Visual Arts Library
Evie Elman, a mere couple of weeks away from completing her MAT (Masters of Arts and Teaching) took the time to leave us with a very vibrant piece of art. Her contributions and presence in the library will be missed.
Utilizing the library’s wonderful scanning and color copying/printing (which is now just $.50/page) Evie went to town with Science – Microscopic View and Trees.
Don’t be a stranger, Evie.
Magazine Covers – 1980-1989 – Part 1 (“Mainstream Magazines”)
From 1982 we have”the world’s only consumer magazine about beer:” BEER. This is the Beauty (Barbara Eden with her shirt apparently completely unbuttoned) and the beer (that thing pictured in the upper right corner which Barbara made materialize) issue.
Beer 1982 December
The Mob moves in on Wayne Newton. Beverly Hills Diet: Can it kill you? Brazil gags Baez. And the fairy tale wedding (sans the longevity of ever after or happiness).
People 1981 August 3
Dick and Judy Blinn demonstrating what 1980 money looks like:
Money 1980 October. Oh, yeah, hhhott investments.
Some standard 1980 props from Time:
Time 1981 May 4
Time 1983 April 11.
Geo was a great magazine. We have a number of issues in our periodicals from 1979-1985. It was sort of like a more artsy National Geographic, but it is sadly no more.
Geo 1980 July
Next we have a selection of Atlantic magazines, many of which, at least in content and posturing, seem like they could have been published this year.
Atlantic 1987 August. Illustration by (graphic designer, illustrator, and type designer extraordinaire) Seymour Chwast.
Atlantic 1989 April. Illustration: Fred Otnes
Atlantic 1989 February.
Atlantic 1989 June. Illustration by Nicholas Gaetano.
Atlantic 1989 May. Illustration by Robert Grossman. 2012: Just switch China for Japan and Fu Manchu (or other such Chinese stereotype) for the sumo wrestler.
A selection of Omni magazine seems a fitting way to stagger your imagination, blow your mind, and be done with the mainstream 1980’s. Much like the 1980’s itself, and especially the end of the 80’s, which like the end of any decade tries too hard to descend and ascend and define, the graphics presented here are just a little too awkward and conceptually far-reaching for even 20+ of nostalgic inducing passing time to render endearing. But what do I know?
Omni 1988 November.
Omni 1989 April. Yes, CREATIVITY run amok.
Omni 1989 August
Omni 1989 February
Omni 1989 March
Omni 1989 September
Omni 1989 June
Omni 1989 November. Dreams. Wild Ones.
Omni 1989 October
SVA Library Picture & Periodicals Collections 