The Web is challenging the role of print magazines. But at the same time, it’s providing a new medium for exploring content. News blogs, for example. Nope is an experiment adapting a visually-driven art and design publication to the Web.
This adaptation probably lies somewhere between magazines and zines. On the one side are print magazines’ high-production quality, editorial conventions, distribution necessities, and advertising demands. On the other are the production shortcomings, freeform structures, and limiting scale and budgets of zines. We’re carving out a place in the middle, by exploiting the strengths of the Web and the low overhead of an online publication.
This allows us the flexibility to assemble something interesting, yet also to evolve as necessary. So each issue will be an experiment—representing an idea or point of view—and the whole idea of Nope will be an experiment in making these kinds of experiments.
Each quarterly issue will be organized around a broad theme. We’ve invited artists from around the world to participate. They are mostly artists and designers, but also writers. Beyond the phrase used to communicate the theme, no conceptual restrictions will apply. The contributor is free to interpret and express the theme however they choose, so long as it can be represented within the format. If you’re interested in contributing, see our Submission page.
The idea was launched by Hazen Creative, Inc. It’s one of many sites and blogs the studio has created to drum up interest and discussion about art and design. This project in particular came out of a desire to play with the Web as a medium for visual art and commentary, using a traditional magazine as the starting point. What makes this unique is that it came from designers. Graphic design is not a fine art—it can’t exist without clients. However, graphic design as an approach to fine art should yield some interesting results.
It’s not certain how this will evolve. We’re open to constructive suggestions and feedback.
