''Contemporary'' was a monthly
visual arts magazine based in
London. Founded and edited as ''The Green Book'' by Keith Spencer as a quarterly publication, it re-emerged under the title ''Contemporary Art'' in 1993. On the death of Spencer, the title was acquired by
Gordon and Breach Publishing (G+B), and produced four issues under the editorship of Lynne Green, Spencer's deputy.
The magazine finally found its feet as a committed contemporary art publication in 1996 under the editorial control of Keith Patrick and with the change of title to ''Contemporary Visual Arts'', later abbreviated to ''CVA''. During this period the magazine achieved sales of nearly 20,000, including 5,000 subscribers, with distribution mainly in the UK, Europe, the States and Australia. Its base at this time was the former
Peek Freans
Peek Freans is the name of a former biscuit making company based in Bermondsey, London, which is now a global brand of biscuits and related confectionery owned by various food businesses. Owned but not marketed in the UK, Europe and USA by De Be ...
biscuit factory in
Bermondsey,
London, the site of several key early exhibitions of the
YBA
The Young British Artists, or YBAs—also referred to as Brit artists and Britart—is a loose group of visual artists who first began to exhibit together in London in 1988. Many of the YBA artists graduated from the BA Fine Art course at Goldsm ...
generation.
With the collapse of the G+B parent company in 2001, the title was acquired by
Art:21 and reappeared as ''Contemporary'' in January 2002 although no longer with an exclusive commitment to the visual arts. In 2003 a sister publication, ''Contemporary 21'', was launched. Initially media-focused, with special issues dedicated to painting, sculpture, video art and performance, it would later embrace a wider range of topics, from art collecting to the relationship between visual art and architecture. In 2006 ''Contemporary'' published its first Annual, featuring 50 emerging artists nominated by its network of world correspondents. In 2008 the magazine relocated to
Panama City, where it ceased publication after failing in an attempt to start a Spanish-language edition.
In May 2009, it was reported that the publisher, Brian Muller, had not paid the magazine's contributing writers for a year.
"''Contemporary'' Mag vs. its Writers"
''Artnet News'', 19 May 2009
Notable contributors
*
Ian Carr-Harris
Ian Carr-Harris (born 1941) is a Canadian artist living in Toronto. In addition to exhibiting internationally, Carr-Harris is a professor at the Ontario College of Art and Design.
Life
Ian Carr-Harris was born in Victoria, British Columbia in 1 ...
*
Dennis Cooper
*
Liam Gillick
*Mark Gisbourne
*Tony Godfrey
*
RoseLee Goldberg
*Katerina Gregos
*Martin Herbert
*
Jens Hoffmann
Jens Hoffmann Mesén (born 1974 in San José, Costa Rica) is a writer, editor, educator, and exhibition maker. His work has attempted to expand the definition and context of exhibition making. From 2003 to 2007 Hoffmann was director of exhibiti ...
*
Katie Kitamura
*
Thomas McEvilley
*
Lucy McKenzie
*
Hans Ulrich Obrist
*Christine Redfern
*
Sally O'Reilly
Sally O'Reilly (born 1971) is a writer, critic, teacher and editor. She publishes and distributes text in conventional and expanded forms, from art magazines to performance lectures to opera. Her divergent subject matter contributes to an ongoing ...
*
Barry Schwabsky
*Katy Siegel
*
Won-il Rhee
Won-il Rhee (; 2 November 1960 – 11 January 2011) was a South Korean digital art curator. He was born and died in Seoul.
Rhee was the artistic director in 2002 and 2006 of the ''Media City Seoul'' Biennale. He was the leading curator of t ...
*
Raúl Zamudio
Editors-in-chief
*Brian Müller (2008)
*Emiliano Valdés (2007–08)
*Michele Robecchi (2005–07)
*
Roger Tatley (2004–05)
*Mark Rappolt (2003–04)
*Keith Patrick (1996–03)
*Lynne Green (1995–96)
*Keith Spencer (1993–94)
References
External links
''Contemporary'' homepage
1993 establishments in the United Kingdom
2008 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
Arts in the United Kingdom
Visual arts magazines published in the United Kingdom
Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom
Contemporary art magazines
Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom
Magazines published in London
Magazines established in 1993
Magazines disestablished in 2008
{{art-mag-stub