Illustrative : publish OBJECTS. The Journal of Applied Arts magazine

The international trends in craftwork are the subject of OBJECT. The Journal of Applied Arts, a new magazine. In keeping with the revival of craftwork, the magazine covers the latest in illustration, graphics, textile art, ceramics, glass and book art.

The editors, Illustrative initiators Katja Kleiss and Pascal Johanssen, set up the first magazine to discuss international trends in new craftwork in picture spreads and essays.

Each issue provides academic essays, un-academic interventions by artists and picture spreads that run over several pages. Essay authors in the first issue include art critic Colleen Shindler-Lynch (Toronto), artist Robert Revels (San Franciso), designer Scott Ballum (New York) and art director Gregori Saavedra (Barcelona). These are accompanied by extensive picture series on the subject of illustration.

The rediscovery of craftwork is also the subject of the current exhibition at Berlin’s Johanssen Gallery, which is also run by the Illustrative initiators. The show presents glass sculptures by Swedish artist Jan Lambert Kruse. The organic light forms, fantastic light effects and delicate transparency of the objects play with the possibilities of glassblowing and also highlight the timelessness of the material.

OBJECTS. The Journal of Applied Arts also presents South American illustrator Christian Montenegro, whose striking images are a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Their plain, symmetric composition and highly reduced shapes remind of expressionist woodblock prints. Also their topics are often traditional: digital works with vivid colours and style-defining forms.

As one of the last disciples of the renowned Argentine comic artist, Montenegro studied illustration with Alberto Breccia for five years. From 2002 to 2006, he taught morphology at the Graphic Design department of the University of Buenos Aires. Nowadays, the 36-year-old concentrates on the illustration of publications, advertisements and many other things.

In Europe, his art works have been featured in Illustrative 2008 in Zurich, where he won the Young Illustrator Award 2008, as well as in shows in London and in various cities across France, Spain and Switzerland. Solo exhibitions of Montenegro took place in Buenos Aires and in Barcelona. The Argentinean artist’s first solo show in Germany will be presented at the Johanssen Gallery in March.