BILL is a yearly magazine of photographic stories, edited and designed by graphic designer Julie Peeters. Until now 4 issue have been published between 2017-2023
In this experimental photography magazine Julie plays with the notion of the image as a material object prioritizing visual reading without distraction. The magazine is also a visual reader, presenting new or previously unpublished work but most obvious is that the images appearing in the magazine are printed without any accompanying text.
In this special archival issue (issue #3), the stories are sourced from the book collections of RareBooksParis – a secretive Instagram account which shares the rarest fashion books (and those of Peeters herself) – and can be read as a dialogue between two personal libraries. This issue features unpublished Martin Margiela look-book photographs | a horse | street style from the 90’s | vases of Japan | a silver story | a flash forward and back | tennis | an ice cube tray | more Margiela | Hysteric Glamour | a bunch of frivolous images. . . . More, as it is not only the content but how the content is represented in this Julie Peeters personal graphic design research project in an edition of one issue every other year, which is about the time you need to be ready for the next issue. #4 was published spring 2023 . . .
This magazine is very much about the object and how it’s made, something that is emphasized by the variety of textures and weights encountered as the reader-viewer leafs through the pages. The paper alternates between matte, gloss, near-transparencies and heavy, grainy, vinyl-like textures, lending each photo story a distinctive tactile identity.
Answering some questions coinciding a presentation at Monsterkamer (a sample room on paper) Julie says: paper is actually functioning as a navigation tool for the content. The magazine consist of about a dozen visual stories by different contributors. The idea behind this annual periodical is to investigate the printed image and of course the paper it’s printed on plays a crucial role in this. Every photo story in BILL is printed on a different paper stock, which I hope enhances the reading of the images. The touch and texture of the paper is a big part of the experience of reading the magazine.
edited & designed: Julie Peeters
Roma Publications 401
184 p, ills colour, 23 x 31 cm, pb, English
One euro of each order will go directly to the Bird Conservation Fund
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All issues of Bill magazine, including the latest #4 are again part of Test Press Books #3 at KO-OP, Sofia / 12*- 22 Oct 2023
