Fukt magazine issue 19 sees artists expand on the theme of storytelling
Established in Norway in 1999, Fukt magazine has become an indelible format for artists and illustrators to make their mark. Now based in Berlin, the magazine has since released issue 19, themed around Storytelling. Dedicated to contemporary drawing, each issue sits down with artists to discuss their everyday, process and deep dives into their world. From America to Asia, Fukt connects continents and seas with its theme and speaks to a wide range of artists with backgrounds in fine arts, illustration and comics. This diverse line-up finds each issue more intriguing than the last.
Having discovered the title during their issue 15 release, it’s since become a staple in my collection. Each issue sees the publication play with typography that connects with the themes, adapting the brand upon each issue’s cover. Custom typography using effects such as 3D, liquid, ripped, stretched and torn have embraced the cover in previous years, all playing on the overall theme. This lack of continuity and uniform branding is a breath of fresh air, as even though the branding is less cohesive than its magazine counter-parts, all feel part of the same family and undeniably Fukt magazine.
It’s worth noting that Fukt issue 18 won both Stack Magazine’s cover of the year award at the 2019 Stack Awards, but also became a D&D Pencil winner for their ‘Systems’ themed issue. Both highly regarded within the magazine and design industries alike, Fukt saw them step out of the regular format and embrace a more tangible format, breaking the mould. Issue 18 saw spinnable paper discs integrated into the center of the cover, allowing readers to play with the disc to dissect the word ‘System’. This idea of deconstruction and reconstruction saw Fukt bring the theme to the audience on a different level, as per issue 19.
Their latest issues sees a 2-part concertina fold in the front cover – a design that invites the user to the idea of play and exploration. Without unfolding the message is kept concise including details such as the name of the issue and magazine, the theme of ‘Storylines’ and its slogan, ‘a magazine for contemporary drawing.’ Unfolding the cover reveals an expanded version, playing with a myriad of terms relating to storytelling such as “your mind is your time machine.” The green cover sees a striking mix of black and white serif type in various styles – from Italics, Light and more Regular weights. Some characters are stretched and pulled possibly to draw upon the idea of distortion within memories, as they relate with the wording, “we care for our non-linear memories.”
An endearing factor that Fukt holds is that it features artists you may have come across before via the likes of social media, books etc, but it also connects you with the work of creatives whom you may not have heard of before but become instant favourites. Due to the global lockdown it’s become increasingly hard for artists to reach new audiences outside social media – this is where Fukt has been able to fill that gap. Unlike social media, this tangible publication pushes the magazine format more than ever before, adding an extra dimension to the work and artists’ messages.
Speaking about issue 19 with Magculture, creative director Ariane Spanier discusses the core theme of storytelling. “I think a common message is the power of the story, be it in drawings, written or told. Our whole existence is based on stories, our human history is made of them. Our memories often are constructed stories, yet they define us, our identity as individuals and as societies.” The issue sees comic artist legend Chris Ware join a wide range of creatives including Adéla Marie Jirku, Bjørn Bjarre, Brian Rea, Colin Matthes, Danielle Morgan, Emma Talbot, Marie-Louise Ekman, Miodrag Manojlović, Océane Moussé, Ori Toor, Shuvinai Ashoona and Xiyu Tomorrow. A full list can be found here.
Discover their work for yourself – ready to dive into Fukt’s wonderful world of drawing? You can grab a copy online or in-person (if Covid laws allow) via one of their stockists here.
