Past Issues

Issue 23, The Collectors

Issue 22, Vibrations

Issue 22 was originally devised as a straightforward music issue, but in classic Theme fashion, it soon became a layered exploration of collaboration, creative community and intersections between visual art and music, filtered through one very creative person, our guest curator Hisham Bharoocha.
To the multli-disciplinary Bharoocha, that music, art, performance, community, and friendships are interconnected in some way is not suprising. He sees the world as a series of vibrations: The way that we experience and imagine things, and even the physical metamorphosis of visual and sound waves translated into information through our sensory systems can be explained as being part of a similar phenomena.
This issue serves as a survey into these creative minds to try and figure out how they work to create both fasinating music as well as other forms of creativity and in the process, bolstering a rich, vibrant creative eco-system.

Issue 21, Transitionists

When asked what we do, we don’t have a simple answer: We are publishers / editors / designers / businesspeople. Our guest curators, Deanne Cheuk and Chris Rubino are fellow “/” - in their case, artists / designers. They have identified a noun that succinctly defines their dual identities: they call themselves transitionists. Transitionists travel in between design and art, the end result is better work. Perhaps we can entice you to add a “/” to what you do and ask yourself, how can we make this interesting?

Issue 20, Strange Birds

The Strange Birds issue is a product of change. While our commitment to covering Asian content is still firm, we’ve widened our focus to include the rest of the world. For this issue, we chose photographer and filmmaker Peter Sutherland, who helped us sift through stories and images from some of his favorite artists who live in the moment—who embody the spirit of freedom and individuality that we all aspire to.
BUY ISSUE 20 .

Issue 19, A Day in the Life

We are all given 24 hours a day to do what we need to do, no more, no less. Take a look at how those profiled here spend their 24 hours. How do you spend yours? —Sold Out

Issue 18, Feb/Mar 2009 For the Love of Food

Our days are marked by recipe-trading, restaurant recommendations, homemade pasta sauce debates, and the always-excruciating decision of which two delis (and a falafel cart) to hit up for lunch. Our team prides itself on our love of food, and we attempt to encapsulate it here in this issue. —Sold Out

Issue 17, Nov/Dec/Jan 2008/2009 Eureka!

We salute the inventors and thinkers that inspire us to create something out of nothing and stretch the limits of our imagination. Kenji Kawakami on the art of nearly useless inventions, Nendo Design inspires, and makeshift toys from the CCF collection made by children around the world. —Sold Out

Issue 16, Sep/Oct 2008 Girls Rock

Music matriarchs Pat Chin, Esther Wong, and Toshiko Akiyoshi, the ladies of Seoul’s indie magazine Chillzine, and Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead are some of the seriously inspiring women covered the “Girls Rock!” issue.  —Sold Out

Issue 15, Jun/Jul/Aug 2008 Beijing (Olympics)

We take a look at how August’s Olympics will affect ordinary Beijingers and speak to some of the most vocal locals: Beijing’s taxi drivers. Our Indexed section brings you the very best of Beijing, straight from the residents who know all the best spots. —Sold Out

Issue 14, Apr/May 2008 Travel

Are the heady days of travel adventures long behind us? Former NASA astronaut Dr. Leroy Chiao tells us of space adventure, ER medic Faye Lee shows us how she works for a month then surfs for a month, and hotel insiders divulge their horror stories. —Sold Out

Issue 13, Feb/Mar 2008 Rebel

Ruffle some feathers? Raise some eyebrows? Artist Terence Koh shocks and titillates, bad boy of skateboarding Christian Hosoi turns into bible-thumping family man, and plus-size model Jun Nakayama creates one of our most beautiful fashion stories to date. —Sold Out

Issue 12, Dec/Jan 2008 I Want

The holidays are upon us. Our favorite shop owners share their best and worst gift-giving stories, Naoto-Fukasawa designed products make the playful functional, artist Tobias Wong takes the piss out of consumer culture. —Sold Out

Issue 11, Fall 2007 Do Good

Rather than throwing money at a problem, this issue’s featured folks work creatively to change the world a little: Yoshihihiro Tanigu’s Digmeout pairs emerging artists with real clients and artist Miwa Koizumi repurposes trash to create nature-themed art. —Sold Out

Issue 10, Summer 2007 Journals

We get a private look into the journals of artistic heavyweights: James Jean, our cover illustrator, shows us his sketches; designer Jun Takahashi shares the inspirations for his clothes; and artist Lee Hyungkoo reveals the studies behind his animal skeletons. —Sold Out

Issue 9, Spring 2007 Nerds

We head to Comic Con and chat with pop’s beatmaker, N.E.R.D.’s Chad Hugo. We dive into the minds of three young successful RGB masters: YouTube’s Steve Chen, Gothamist’s Jen Chung, and gaming’s new wunderkind, Jenova Chen. And we quiz comic artist R. Kikuo Johnson to see if he’s really a nerd. —Sold Out

Issue 8, Winter 2007 Transplants

When things are taken from one place and transplanted to another, they often grow in unexpected ways. The evolution of streetwear is a good example of this as is the work of artist Tomokazu Matsuyama. Namaiki experiments with farming in Tokyo’s concrete jungle. —Sold Out

Issue 7, Fall 2006 Performance

A good performance can move and entertain an audience; a great performance can inspire awe. Boredoms, Daewon Song, Min Tanaka, and Li Wei don’t have much in common except that at one point each one gave a performance that made someone’s hair stand on end. —Sold Out

Issue 6, Summer 2006 The Word

In this issue, we examine the braided relationship between identity and language. Features include interviews with one of the world’s foremost typographers, Ahn Sang-soo, designer and art director Eric Cruz. —Sold Out

Issue 5, Spring 2006 The History of...

Contrary to popular opinion, history isn’t boring; it’s often more gripping than the present. We talk with Jack Weatherford, author of Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. Kyoung Kim narrates the tale of the epic apple as it travels from its origins in China, through Egypt, Europe, then America. —Sold Out

Issue 4, Winter 2005 Siblings

Love them. Hate them. Young Kim, aka Suitman, talks candidly about his relationship with his brother. We interview filmmaking twins the Pang Brothers. The Koshino sisters describe the what it’s like when all three sisters compete in the same industry. —Sold Out

Issue 3, Fall 2005 Skin

In our first fashion and photography issue, we interview Muji’s art director, the reknown designer Kenya Hara. Artist Byron Kim sheds light on his controversial skin color paintings. We draw freckles on a model and capture the spirit of sleeping in on Sundays. —Sold Out

Issue 2, Summer 2005 I Live Here

Daido Moriyama gives us a tour of his home turf, Shinjuku. We chat with David Choe about his love/hate relationship with San José. Norio Matsumoto and Rizal Tanjung share what life is like in deep Alaska and deep inside a barrel in Kuta, respectively. —Sold Out

Issue 1, Spring 2005 Vanguard

In our first issue, we tip our hats to the people who continue to inspire us. Stories include interviews with Doo-Ri Chung, John C Jay, Barry McGee, Zhang Huan, Nikki S Lee, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Towa Tei, and an amazing story about growing up fluxus with Nam June Paik. —Sold Out