Out now: Varoom! #19

Varoom! has had a mixed life. In its original Non-Format designed iteration it was a highly designed perfect bound magazine that attempted to reach beyond its AOI member readership to create a more general readership interested in illustration. I liked its strong design, a bold graphic treatment that gave the maagzine a clear identity but also worked with the many examples of illustration on its pages. Presumably others didn’t like it so much – a subsequent redesign was weak by comparison. But now as a tabloid newspaper I think it‘s finally found a niche for itself (cover, above by Radio).

The new issue, no19, has a typically broad spread of content, though naturally I was drawn to the many articles about magazines and illustration. In particular this feature about the new food magazines, including Fire & Knives, Lucky Peach and new favourite here at magCulture, The Gourmand.

As well as current work, history is well covered too, Pete Lyle looking at the photo-illustrated covers from 1970s Interview maagzine (above); illustrator Paul Davis paying tribute to the late Tony Arefin, launch art director of Frieze magazine and later NY-based commissioner of Davis; and a look back at Gee Vaucher’s work for Crass.

Jumping back to the now, Granta artistic director Michael Salu offers thoughts on the future of illustration (above, Granta 117’s cover by the Chapman Brothers). The issue also includes a brief Q&A with Apartamento art director Omar Sosa, alongside my thoughts on the magazine.

There’s plenty more in the packed 64 pages, the content of which are linked together by editor John O’Reilly in an opening report.

Buy the issue (£5) or subscribe here.

(disclosure: I am a contributing editor to the magazine)