Magazine of the week: mono.kultur #34

Picking mono.kultur as magazine of the week may seem a little predictable, it’s been selected before and I’ve written and spoken about the magazine plenty of times here and elsewhere. But even by its own high standards, this new issue is very strong.

This time the subject is Brian Eno, musician, artist and provocateur. I know he divides people (I’m a fan) but he makes a great subject for the type of detailed interview mono.kultur’s singular format relies on. Eno also has very clear interests and passions that allows the designer – for this issue publisher Kai von Ranebau – something concrete to express.

Kai’s design reflects Eno’s obsession with systems. The cover portrait (by Matt Anker) has a hint of the colour that follows, starting with a little orange in the bottom right corner. From there each spread moves through the colour spectrum, not as solid flat tints but in very gentle full-bleed gradiants. It’s beautifully printed.

The text – an interview by Eno’s daughter Irial – is a really good read, and surprisingly easy despite being bright yellow and set in narrow columns. That’s no faint praise, it really is easy to read. I read it it one sitting and those narrow columns forced me through the text.

Overall, it’s a deceptively simple issue – no special binding of papercraft – but a lovely one nonetheless.