AW ArtMag is born
Mala tempora currunt. Yes, we are going through hard times, for our physical and mental health, for the economy, for social stability. It is a planetary crisis. In a world that is no longer the same, that is changing and we do not know how, in order not to succumb we decided to change ourselves first. Instead of letting ourselves be overwhelmed by paralyzing fear, we tried to react by pursuing a dream. Relying on the overwhelming force of dreams. We started imagining the art magazine that did not exist; the one
we would have liked to hold in our hands, to read, to browse, to caress, even to smell; the one that could surprise us and make us think, that, possibly, could be both useful and beautiful. Our guiding words were – and are – life, rebirth, future. So, day by day, idea after idea, thanks to the enthusiastic contribution of our collaborators and the active generosity of our friends, artists and gallerists, AW ArtMag was born. The subtitle of the magazine – Art Who What Where When Why – is already a declaration of intent.
We drew inspiration from the five Ws of journalism to remind ourselves to always communicate in a clear, direct, simple, and exhaustive way. To stay away from the self- complacency, the rhetoric, the empty and high- sounding language of – too – many critics who the less clear the things they say, the happier they look.
Each W corresponds to a section of the same name, to make it easier for readers to find information quickly. We also added several other sections: Spotlight for the cover story, Coffee break for the interview, Topic for current events. The names of these sections are expressed in English in the Italian version too not to indulge in a fashionable xenophilia, but simply because these words and phrases have become so common in everyday language that translating them would have looked a bit pedantic. After all, AW ArtMag was born with an international vocation, not only in terms of content but also of diffusion – it is written in both Italian and English and sold in Italian as well as foreign newsstands. A magazine without borders – culture cannot and must not have any – but its heart is proudly Italian. Or rather Latin, as in the pages of Focus and, paraphrasing Descarte, in those of Dubito, ergo cogito.
Ambitions are high, the risk in starting a new publishing adventure during a pandemic is equally high. We feel a little visionary, a little crazy. According to Erasmus of Rotterdam, the best ideas come to us when we are in that state.
We really hope he was right
