Foam Magazine #58: Talent

The fifteenth edition of Foam Magazine’s Talent Issue presents a selection of outstanding artists, each in their own way feeling the pulse of our times. In spite of the many challenges humankind was confronted with in 2020, we counted the highest number of submissions yet: 1803 entries, from 72 countries - each of which represented a message in a bottle from different parts of the world, which felt more fractured than ever. This year’s common, underlying theme is a close, sharp look at one of the most important subjects, the human condition. While being born out of the Covid-19 pandemic, this issue is also a beautiful, hopeful and refreshing statement of the possibilities our medium offers, and the exciting future ahead. We look forward to celebrating new beginnings, and new horizons.

Next to our regular features we are extremely grateful to host a conversation between Carmen Winant and Laia Abril, winner of the 2020 Paul Huf Award Prize with her long-term project A History of Misogyny. The presented chapters, Chapter One: On Abortion and Chapter Two: On Rape have been unanimously selected by the jury as a remarkable example of the possibilities for the photographic medium to engage with complex subjects. We agree that the results of her efforts need to be seen by an audience as large as possible and are very proud to be able to make our part.

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS & WRITERS 

Laia Abril, Heather Agyepong, Kwabena Sekyi Appiah-nti, Delali Ayivi, Tomás Ayuso, Hajar Benjida, Daniel Castro Garcia, Soléne Gün, Giulia Iacolutti, Tommy Kha, Billy H.C. Kwok, Gabby Laurent, Simon Lehner, Pat Martin, Plantation, Sarker Protick, Irene Antonia Diane Reece, Silvia Rosi, Joey Solomon, Leonard Suryajaya, Lisandro Suriel, Igor Tereshkov, Ana Vallejo, Sheng-Wen Lo, Bowei Yang, Mariama Attah, Henri Badaröh, Antawan I. Byrd, Angela N. Carroll, Chandra Frank, Hinde Haest, Allie Haeusslein, Max Houghton, Maya Hristova, George H. King, Kim Knoppers, Mirjam Kooiman, Maitreyi Maheshwari, Elisa Medde, Ben Miller, Sunil Sha, Liz Sales, M. Charlene Stevens, Róisín Tapponi, Daria Tuminas, Sara Urbaez, Bindi Vora, Carmen Winant, Sophie Wright, Simone Zeefuik

288 pages 
Printed on selected specialised paper  
300x230x23 mm 
1118 g

Foam Magazine #54: PLAY! The Game Changing Issue

Play is one of the founding pillars that allows us to discover the world. To play is to learn how things work, how we behave, interact, and how we can solve problems. It fuels our scientific thirst for experimenting, the enchantment towards the magic of discovery, and the frustration of failure. It is also crucial in informing how we perceive and experience reality, and how we create a new, alternative reality that we might be able to control. Foam Magazine #54: PLAY! investigates the powers at play in our society and its subversive, irreverent potential. It looks at its healing powers, the relief that comes from unlocking energy, creativity, and unexpected ghosts.

Through these 18 portfolios, we offer a range of approaches to the theme of play. This includes playing with the artform itself – from using collage, paint, or other surface interventions to convey ideas – to using humour, failure, and the unlikely as ways of understanding how and why we play. The feature interview with artist William Kentridge further ties into these ideas through his thoughts on politics and performance while Hans Gremmen gives us a look at his bookshelf selection, covering just over a century of photobooks and inspiration. The theme also gave us a chance to be even more playful with the format of the magazine. Make sure to look out for the hidden portfolio!

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ARTISTS
Franco Ariaudo & Luca Pucci, Pelle Cass, Jimmy DeSana, Laura El-Tantawy, Charlie Engman & Hillary Taymour, Kalev Erickson, Camila Falquez, David Fathi, Rolph Gobits, Jos Houweling, Kay Kasparhauser, William Kentridge, Dana Lixenberg, Mariam Medvedeva, Ivan Mikhailov, Rosana Paulino, Alice Quaresma, Sheida Soleimani, Leonard Suryajaya, Martine Syms, Mickalene Thomas, Lorenzo Vitturi

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Franco Ariaudo & Luca Pucci, Mariama Attah, Bryan Barcena, Chiara Bardelli Nonino, Sacha Bronwasser, Ben Burbridge, Gabriela Burkhalter, Lewis Bush, Anastasiia Fedorova, Marcel Feil, Hans Gremmen, Hinde Haest, Louis Kaplan, Kim Knoppers, Cat Lachowskyj, Glenn Ligon, Dana Linssen, Maitreyi Maheshwari, Carly Mark, Alecsandra Matias de Oliveira, Elisa Medde, Pim Milo, Timothy Prus, Maisie Skidmore, Mavis Staples, Fiona Tan, Salamishah Tillet, Deborah Willis, Efrem Zelony-Mindell