Top 13 of the Very Best Contemporary Art Magazines

Ever since I studied art history at the University, I have fallen for art magazines. Contemporary art magazines often distinguish themselves from other magazines with their high-end artistic design. Art is about putting the right things in the right places, and with contemporary art magazines, the editorial staff ensures everything ends up in the right place. In this article, we will shortlist the very best art magazines in print.

Art has a very strong affinity with the printed press. Art publications can be seen as an alternate space to showcase art. Furthermore, there is a tradition of artists acting as publishers and artist-run magazines. Then there are artists who have published artists’ editions in which the publication functions as the artwork itself. In short, art is not only destined to be seen in a museum or art gallery. It is also designated to be seen in an art publication in magazines. Furthermore, art magazines offer artists, critics, curators, and other actors to create an ongoing discussion on contemporary art, documenting this discussion from issue to issue.

However, at the University, I very soon found out it wasn’t easy to find an overview of the very best printed contemporary art magazines. To be fair, there is a lot of ‘fluff’ out there. Even on the World Wide Web, I sadly came to the conclusion the ‘overview lists’ mentioned many mags that are not really magazines or merely online platforms. Where are the ‘true’ and ‘real’ art magazines? As a result, our mission with this article is to present you with a complete overview of today’s best magazines on contemporary art. Encompassing magazines we have purchased, read, and adored.

We have focused on only the highest-rated mags of the spectrum, encompassing magazines with their finger at the art world‘s pulse, and are directed by renowned editors, critics, artists, and curators. Further, all magazines are available in print, as the physical object makes the art mag so appealing. Today, the internet has become oversaturated with online art magazines. However, none of these platforms publish and print the actual magazine itself.

The language of all featured ‘zines’ is English for this list. So, here comes the leading 12 of the very best contemporary art magazines in print. Please note: the list is not a ranking, as all magazines have been listed alphabetically.

1. Aesthetica

We start our list with Aesthetica Magazine. With approximately half a million readers across the globe, Aesthetica is one of the most-read art magazines today. The Mag was founded in 2002 and is published bi-monthly, focussing on art, design, photography, architecture, music, and film. Besides the excellent print issues, Aesthetica is also known for its varied and free digital issues.

The Art and Culture magazine showcases in-depth features of the most important actors in their field. Furthermore, Aesthetica produces several awards, such as the Aesthetica Short Film Festival, the Art Prize, the Future Now Symposium, and the Creative Writing Award. The printed issues come at a very reasonable price of £5,75 for a copy. Discover the latest issues of Aesthetica Magazine on their website here.

2. Apollo

Up next, we have Apollo magazine. Apollo was founded in 1925 and is one of the world’s longest-running and most renowned art magazines. Apollo also covers antiquities. However, they primarily focus on contemporary art, including in-depth features on the latest developments in the art world. Think of exclusive interviews with collectors, artists, or art experts.

In doing so, Apollo offers expert information on the art market, advises you on collecting, or presents you with hot off-the-press reviews and previews of art exhibitions across the globe. They also offer a great range of articles online. Apollo works on a subscription basis. For €8,50, you can expect monthly printed magazines and complete access to their digital daily articles. Discover Apollo’s website here.

3. Artforum

Founded in 1962, Artforum International is arguably the most important contemporary art magazine today. The magazine is published monthly and has a summer issue for June, July, and August. The magazine distinguishes itself not only by its long history, an authority on contemporary art, and extensive digital offer of articles but also by its unique square format.

Artforum features in-depth articles, essays, exhibition reviews, book reviews, and interviews on contemporary art, offering a great view of the current landscape of contemporary art. A single copy can be bought for $17, or you can opt for a subscription of $55/year, receiving all printed issues in your mailbox and full access to the online articles and magazine archive. Discover Artforum by visiting their website here.

4. ArtNexus

Up next, we travel to Latin America for the printed art magazine ArtNexus. Published in 1976, ArtNexus is an authority on the contemporary art scene in Latin America. The leading magazine is an undisputable reference to the Latin American art market, featuring essays by art scholars, critics, and museum curators.

You can subscribe to ArtNexus and receive four printed editions annually—in English or Spanish—for just $32/year. Discover their magazine and service on their website here.

5. Art Review

Our fifth print mag is one of the world’s leading international contemporary art magazines: ArtReview. ArtReview was founded in 1949 and is dedicated to expanding the audience and reach of contemporary art, examining how contemporary art interacts with culture in general. ArtReview also launched ArtReview Asia in 2013; the sibling publication examines the Asian art scene.

ArtReview published nine issues a year featuring art criticism in the form of reviews, essays, artist projects, and commentaries. ArtReview Asia publishes four issues a year. Furthermore, ArtReview is also renowned for its online art magazine with many art features, cultural news, criticism, opinions, videos, podcasts, articles, and highlights from previous magazines. The ArtReview magazine comes at £35/year for all nine issues, or the ArtReview Asia subscription is £24/year for four points. Discover more at the ArtReview website.

6. CURA.

Up next, we have a magazine which is one of my absolute personal favorites at this very moment. CURA. is more than just a magazine; it is a curatorial and editorial platform that was founded in 2009. These curatorial activities take shape in the form of an exhibition program, a publishing house, and a high-end magazine on contemporary art. Curatorial research and critical activity is the crucial objective of CURA. Doing so, CURA. focuses on investigating new contemporary languages and the development and/or implementation of innovative exhibition formats.

As a result, the magazine is intended as an alternate space for art — a key opportunity of the art magazine, as discussed above in our introduction. The art magazine becomes a dynamic and flexible exhibition space in which curatorial research can take form and continue to evolve over time. Doing so, one can find formats such as conversations, visual essays, critical texts, and even lab projects in the wonderfully designed high-end art mag. CURA.’s magazine comes at a price of €15 for a copy—money well spent according to my not-so-humble opinion when it comes to CURA Magazine. Discover more on their terrific website, curamagazine.com.

7. Émergent Magazine

Another personal is without a doubt émergent magazine. Émergent magazine is a biannual print publication (of two publications every year) and online platform that encapsulates contemporary art in a curated format. It unites both established and emerging contemporary artists, promoting critical dialogue and highlighting diverse artistic practices that shape the contemporary art scene. What they do best is providing a top-notch selection of current or recent exhibitions in some of the most exciting art galleries across the globe.

Founded and operated by artists, Émergent functions as an exhibition in print, offering readers an exclusive view of artists’ works outside the traditional gallery setting. The magazine features notable artists such as Glenn Ligon, Urs Fischer, Louise Bonnet, Paulo Nimer Pjota, Alvaro Barrington, Ida Ekblad, Eric N. Mack, Angela de la Cruz, Tom Burr, and John Bock. Available globally, Émergent can be found in prestigious institutions like MoMA PS1 in New York, Tate Modern, and Serpentine Gallery in London, as well as in top commercial galleries such as Gagosian and White Cube. You can find more information on their website here.

8. Flash Art

Founded in 1967, Flash Art is a magazine on contemporary art that was originally published in both Italian and English. The art zine achieved an international reputation after extensively covering innovative art movements such as Arte Povera in the 1960s and 1970s and, in particular, after publishing Andy Warhol’s final interview in 1987.

Flash Art is, besides being a printed magazine, also a major online art platform and an international publishing house. The Flash Art magazine publishes four issues every year, with single copies available at €15 a piece and a subscription fee of €56/year for all four issues. Discover more on the Flash Art website here.

9. Hi-Fructose

In 2005, artists Attaboy and Annie Owens founded Hi-Fructose Magazine, ‘The New Contemporary Art Magazine.’ The magazine has an entirely different feel, look, and organization in comparison to the other mags discussed in this list due to the artist-run and bottom-up approach showcasing submissions from many unknown emerging artists.

Although the design, texts, overall quality, and selection of artists and topics are not as high culture as the more established magazines from this list, there still is a certain appeal to the magazine. As a result, the magazine has become very popular and has an enormous fanbase on social media. A single copy can be purchased for $9,95, and subscriptions vary from $38 for four copies up to $70 for eight copies. Discover ‘The New Contemporary Art Magazine’ here.

10. Juxtapoz

A similar story of success can be found in Juxtapoz: Art & Culture Magazine. In 1994, a group of artists and collectors founded Juxtapoz. Their main aim was to connect modern genres like street art, illustration art, or psychedelic art to the more historically recognized genres such as Pop Art, Minimal Art, or Conceptual Art. Their vision became a success as they found a large support base in public opinion for more underground, figurative, and ‘accessible’ art.

In doing so, the quarterly magazine surpassed 2009 major and highly established magazines regarding the circulation of their issues, such as Art News or the aforementioned Artforum. Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine also offers an online magazine with a digital subscription. Regarding their pricing, in the States, you can receive all four issues for $29,99/year, and outside of the States for $80/year. Discover more on their website here.

11. Plastikcomb Magazine

A brand-new magazine is Plastikcomb Magazine; a bi-annual magazine melding art with graphic design marked by freedom, energy, nostalgia, and the joy of experiencing boldly-designed chaos. Founded in 2020, artists Thomas Schostok and Aaron L. Beebe created the first issue of PCM, working on a different side of the Atlantic. One could almost argue the editors act as an artist duo, with the Plastikcomb periodical being their first artistic series.

The collages by Aaron L. Beebe and the playful typography by Thomas Schostok seem to result in a magazine that breaks all the rules or conventions we could find in our previous mags. With a nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of the magazines of the 80s—or from the 50s?—interviews and features with various contemporary artists or fine art photographers merge with fake advertisements and incoherent interventions. As a result, PCM reads differently, looks differently, and feels extraordinary. Priced at $25 per issue, you can discover the magazine here.

12. SHADOWPLAY Magazine

At this very moment, while writing this article, SHADOWPLAY has just released its first-ever issue. The bi-annual magazine is a Behind the Blinds project and can be seen as ‘an open window on the diversity of contemporary art.’ SHADOWPLAY explores contemporary aesthetics, featuring artists, writers, photographers, models, and more.

Their first issue starts in style, including Maurizio Cattelan, Rinus Van de Velde, Kris Van Assche, Chad Moore, Gareth McConnel, Mark Manders, Miriam Tölke, Alex Picon, and Laura Alcalde. The magazine truly distinguishes itself in content and design, redefining beauty and aesthetics with this very magazine. As a result, the brand-new magazine was too good not to include in this list. Purchase your copy for €15 at the SHADOWPLAY website here.

13. X-TRA

Our tenth art magazine is the X-TRA Contemporary Art Quarterly. X-TRA is an independent journal/magazine on visual art, focusing on art and art criticism of contemporary art. Founded in 1997 in Los Angeles by the artists Stephen Berens and Ellen Birrell, the art quarterly publishes features, reviews, columns, interviews, and artist projects, as an actual artist-run magazine.

The mission of X-tra is to sustain a vibrant critical discourse on contemporary art, fostering inclusive networks and cultivating a deep understanding of contemporary art. Single copies can be purchased at $20, and a full subscription costs $40/year. Discover the X-Tra Contemporary Art Quarterly online via their website here.

Last Updated on June 5, 2024