Philadelphia’s best arty zine, the Philadelphia Independent, has the beginnings of a website. Woo hoo! Right now, they’ve got a sampling of their front pages up, and a few stories available to read. (I recommend Issue 1’s “Note to the Reader” which lays out endearingly earnest thoughts about the city and how PI hopes to serve by covering stories not otherwise deemed worthy.)This low-cost (50 cents in town, $1 elsewhere) art project masquerading as a newspaper is available at honor boxes around town and at many bookstores and art galleries. You can subscribe and get it mailed to you or if you’re in Chicago, check it out at Quimby’s or in Baltimore at Atomic Books.
The paper debuted in 2002 as a quarterly but has been publishing more frequently of late. They’ve published 10 issues so far according to the website.
The graphic design — and the great, deadpan headlines — make beautiful viewing and smart reading. There are always lots of funnies and many art images, too.
Editor Mattathias Schwartz, by the way, says he’s going to increase local art coverage in the publication. He and Aaron Levy of Slought Foundation will be debuting a new art page soon. (Did I mention that the newspaper’s offices are at Space 1026, 1026 Arch st….just in case you want to stop by and say hello or buy a back issue.) (image is front page of Issue 7, April, 2003, an anti-war issue put together in the blink of an eye as we went to war in Iraq).
