Monograph

Monograph is Creative Review’s free monthly publication exclusively for subscribers. They like to see it as a thank you to their readership for their loyalty. Creative review was the first magazine to introduce, way back in 1995, a free monthly CD-Rom which brought a whole new medium to news stands; it was a revolution. Eight years on, the World Wide Web having expanded beyond anyone’s wildest expectations, and the CD-Rom format had become extraneous: much of what it offered was readily available on YouTube and websites, it was no longer a forward thinking device and so CR sat and scratched their heads and decided to strip it all back and give a gift of real tangible delight, once again leading a revolution...

In a digital era nothing is sacred, the internet devours all and regurgitates through the monitors of millions of flat, radiating computer screens all generic. Nothing is special or unique or something to treasure. Printed press is becoming a designers’ delicacy and CR, recognising this, gave us Monograph. The charm is in its simplicity. These little A5 gems are as collectable as pristinely packaged Star Wars action figures. They are souvenirs of the modern age; each one a personal project printed, with refinement, on crisp gloss and pressed together between thick chromatic greys with foil emboss. Shown here is January’s issue which featured wonderful images of Japanese Dekatori by photographer Satoshi Minakawa that left a real impression on me. The publications are intended to be inspiring explorations of new ideas where quality of image and production are at the forefront.