NYTimes Magazine, New York Issue 2019

We’re back from New York, and after a week’s quiet on the Journal normal service will now be resumed. Starting with a souvenir from our NYC trip.

One of the NYTimes Magazine’s annual specials is their New York Issue, the entire issue being given over to a quintessential story from the city. This year they’ve focused on performers, with a series of portraits by photographer and documentary-maker Brenda Ann Kenneally.

These images, and their accompanying stories, have been placed in a bold typographic context by deputy art director Ben Grandgenett. The cover sets up the visual theme, a flouro yellow with bold black typography neatly referencing New York taxis and vintage theatre posters.

The warm yellow continues through the issue, as the 12 performers – ranging from theatre extras to lounge pianist via a stand up comedian and voguer – each receive a bold opening spread featuring a bespoke typeface, also designed by Grandgenett. This type is used almost as concrete poetry to announce each performer, with ‘The New York Issue’ emblazoned in different formations and individual characters as well as words underscored. It makes for a visually exciting issue, a worthy addition to previous New York Issues.

There’s an online version with videos of the 12 performers; this echoes the print designs but is inevitably more typographically templated.

Editor-in-chief: Jake Silverstein
Design director: Gail Bichler
Director of photography: Kathy Ryan
Art director: Matt Willey