Modart - the book.

This last couple of days, after a long long wait, the Modart book arrived at the gallery! I tore open the package, flipped through the pages, liked a lot what I saw - and decided to lean back, grab a coffee and start writing down a purely personal, totally subjective retrospect of the story behind it. Or at least my version of it.

 "Forget Art. In order to feel it."

Once upon a time there was a magazine called Modart. It had the size of a record sleeve (those records where called Longplayer, or LP, and made from vinyl), and was filled with unfiltered thoughts and stories about Urban Art and the accompanying culture. It was cult even before more than 100 people were aware of its existence. 

The first issue of Modart. Cover artwork by Will Barras.

Modart didn't start as a magazine. Originally founded in the US by a politically and culturally engaged grassroots organisation, it first came to Europe to show some of the creative minds they've worked with. Two by now legendary art shows at ISPO Munich, featuring artists such as Will Barras, The London Police, Shepard Fairey, Ed Templeton, Dave Kinsey, Jeremy Fish and many others, created huge attention and lay the foundation for what was to become the magazine as we know it.   

With the motto "Creative Action - Active Creation", the magazine was launched in 2004. Four years and 19 issues later, while the organisation Modart had become was still throwing parties and art events in Europe, the magazine vanished from the radar ... or at least so it seemed. 

Time to quickly rush down memory lane ...

The beginnings

Since first meeting Harlan Levey, the chief editor of the magazine and founder of the artist network No New Enemies, on a sunny Barcelona day in a time that feels like being ages ago, we immediately felt a deep connection in our shared goal to support and establish something very special that was happening in our generation for a couple of years already.  

We were talking about Graffiti, 'Street' and 'Urban' Art and a thing that was labelled 'board culture', we immersed in Punk and Football, found connections in artists we liked and disliked, and were worried where this all would lead, when answers where still so hard to be found. Everything still felt "so underground" at that time, even though that underground had been the surface of both our lives since we could think.

Modart was a relatively unknown magazine yet. Published throughout Europe, but hard to get in most areas, it was not just a vital part of a specific art scene, but already its voice. 

Issue number 12: the cover says (well, shows) it all. Artwork by Hadley Howes & Maxwell Stevens.For artists and galleries alike, being featured in Modart was important, even though most people you were telling about it didn't know the product. It didn't matter. For one, it had that coolness factor that makes people nod their heads in appraisal even though they've no clue what you are talking about. And once you've presented the mag, with its inspiring layout and sharp, witty and poignantly written articles, it was very convincing.

The acquisition

Round about a year after Harlan and I first met in person, Modart was acquired by Rebel Media, an agency that had a reputation for living this thing called 'board culture' in all their media and marketing activities and projects. High hopes as well as fear mixed up the minds of the creatives and activists behind the magazine - a deal like this was something new, something that hadn't happened in the scene before, so no one really knew where this would lead. Modart and Big Business somehow didn't match, at least not for the crew and their readers. But there was money now where there was none before, and there was marketing experience and potential connections to mainstream brands which would be needed in order to lift Modart onto the next level.

I am already trailing off, and this text starts to sound like an orbituary (well, it is the total opposite, really), so I don't want to go too much into details, even though as a close friend to Harlan as well as to the new owner of Modart, whom I've known as collector and supporter of heliumcowboy even longer than the magazine, I was pretty much aware of most things going on.  

From this inside perspective I could see the friction as well as the benefits of this marriage. I guess the bottom line is that it was a steep learning curve for both sides, and the fact that Modart is somehow still around and that it managed to create much more attention, has a wider, international reach, but still is totally credible and authentic for the majority of its target group, proves that it somehow worked.

That the magazine published its final issue end of 2008 wasn't really that surprising after all, considering the terrible market conditions for a young, more or less insurgent, non-conformist and still (!) underground art movement as a result of the financial crisis. 

In 2008, we let some Modart creatives loose at our gallery: Exhibition picture showing a mural by Microbo, BO130, Morcky and TheBoghe.What was hip and cool and part of a desirable lifestyle during the bubble days, got mostly neglected when the money was burning on the battlefield of greedy bankers. Now it was important again that you could actually ride that board, and not just hang it up as a piece of art above your overpriced designer sofa. Or at least get the idea.   

From magazine to book

The announcement of a relaunch of Modart as a coffee-table book, quickly made after the magazine was folded, was only a small comfort. As a gallery owner and publisher of catalogues and limited-edition publications, I know that art books are even tougher to get onto the market than magazines. And we all wanted the monthly (or so) magazine back. Another book? Come on. 

For a long time, it seemed it may not work. Month after month was passing, and for most companies and products that build upon a young, trendy but also easily replaceable  brand, this could have been the death sentence. But the people behind Modart didn't stop believing; they fought hard and put all their sweat into it, and now I am holding it in my hands: the Modart book, issue #1. 

It is fat, it is heavy, and it already found it's place on my coffee table (well, figuratively speaking, as I don't have something like that. My coffee finds place on any kind of table.)

According to the makers, more books will follow. While book one reflects the history of the magazine, the next ones will focus on more individual topics. Just recently, Harlan and I were talking about this and he revealed some first thoughts for book two, and all I can say is to recommend that you fasten your seat belts. I mean, really tight. Heavy turbulences ahead.

Harlan and Tobias at the incredible No New Enemies-exhibition at Musee du Botanique Brussels, 2008.Harlan was a key player (he will hate me for the term "player", though) of a huge network of artists and creatives long before the acquisition by Rebel (he knew everone and everyone knew - or wanted to know - him), and has since managed to stay that credible and upright person. And, in my humble opinion, has gotten even better and more important as a writer and the rightful chronicler of an art movement we still cannot label. This book justifies his battle over the years, because it is a "Best Of Modart" and it nicely proves the point he and all the other contributors and magic minds behind the magazine were making over the years.

It is also a tribute to Tobias Allanson, the art director of the magazine. He created that unique look and feel of Modart, and the book may be seen as his masterpiece. Well, at least in regards to magazine design, because I know he is also doing a lot of other crazy shit that is excellent.   

And it shows the faith the new owners put into a product that was an entrepreneurial risk from the beginning and needed more passion than core business generally can afford. The Modart book is a documentation of the rollercoaster ride of a publication that was always much more than just printed paper. It took them across Europe and to the epicenters of the art world in New York, Basel or Miami. The pages are full of human stories of greatness and failure at the same time. And I have no idea exactly how they did it, but despite a sometimes extremely bumpy ride, everyone got out alive and stayed true to themselves. 

"Forget art. In oder to feel it." ... is the title of the first Modart book.

And most likely the reason. 

You can get more info at he Modart website. You could buy it at Amazon, or, much much better, at your local bookstore. You know, the well-assorted, independent one.