EDITOR'S LETTER
by Andrea Blanch
We are living at a time where a common misconception is that the print world is in peril. Musée Magazine
disagrees. Like Steidl, we avow that generating print editions is a “democratic choice in the realm of
publishing that requires time, energy, and courage.” We are thrilled to announce our forthcoming phase
of Musée Magazine with an increased quality of print and an impressively growing stock list – including
museums and fine book stores.
Choices curate our futures. When I worked as a photographer for Vogue , choice was a constant frame of
mind I found myself in, given the editing process photography demands. I had to make numerous editorial
decisions, sometimes in a rapid succession, in order to meet deadlines. The mindset of choice is a ceaseless
and an ever-changing mentality, even eight years into the life of Musée.
There is an irony in the line of work I have sought, given that I fall on the seventh astrological sign of the
Zodiac. Libras are known to be indecisive. The truth is, we seek balance, seeing every side of the situation. In
our compulsive weighing of the scales, we grapple with what others may see as indecision, but we view as
a necessary deliberation. Despite this astrological stereotype, Musée’s 23rd Issue is themed “choices,”
examining the intimate process of artistic creation. This issue sets out to explore the creative choices of
our 13 featured, 8 spotlight, and 14 emerging artists. The amalgamate of this wide-ranging group of tal-
ented artists is due in part to my Libra-nature.
Choices can be defined as a noun or an adjective, or can be as undefined as something evocative of a
certain feeling. This feeling of what cannot be directly observed is illuminated in Paul Mpagi Sepuya's
Mirror Study and his subsequent explorations of the nude in relation to the intimate, performative studio
space. In choosing to conceal and reveal certain tools and apparatuses, he fosters a dialectical conversation
that explores photography's relationship with the viewer.
A child of the pre-modernist era, Rauschenberg anticipated the pop art movement producing works
like Historic Detour and Local Means that incorporated the concept that mundane objects could create
illusionary imagery. You cannot speak about cutting-edge contemporary art without mentioning the
enigmatic and eccentric Andy Warhol. Our election to cover him in this issue was to show never-before-seen
photographs of his – giving our readers new information.
Finally, our esteemed cover artist, Martha Rosler, filters the news carnage of the Vietnam war into the
tranquil American living room. With an eye to women’s experience, House Beautiful Bringing the War
Home, Rosler urges viewers to analyze their collective war experience through media images.
With the eclectic collection of interviews and photographs by all the formidable artists included, this issue gives
us a rare insight into the minds of true creatives, and that the choices are as important as the subject itself.
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