Public Illumination Magazine N° 53A / Ragnatele 9

After 53 issues published since 1979 in New York and Umbria, PIM (Public Illumination Magazine), the world’s smallest magazine of its kind (7x11 cm) marches on, continuing to illuminate its select readers with enlightening revelations by its pseudonymonous contributors. This special joint-publication of PIM and Ragnatele retraces the 19 issues of PIM published since its relocation to Umbria in 1987. Covers and sample pages are presented amongst artifacts from its environment. Universal yet particular, the nourishing peculiarity of Umbria has proven a happy home for this collaboration. These two magazines have joined characters and dimensions to produce a hybrid publication in an act of cross-fertilization.

Public Illumination Magazine (PIM) is an artists’ periodical published since 1979, notable for its tiny size (11 x 7 cm). Each issue features a given topic. The general flavor of the contents ranges from parody to the absurd, with brevity a constant. Public Illumination Magazine mocks the traditions of mainstream magazines. The pocket-size of the magazine, its use of pseudonyms, and its irreverent tone tweak the expectations produced by the large format glossy magazines. Founded in underground art and literary circles in downtown New York by Zagreus Bowery; originally “non-weekly”, later “non-monthly”, then “non-biannual”, it is now “non-occasional” and published in Italy. Complete series of the magazine are held by the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the New York Public Library.

Ragnatele is a publication that deals with young creativity--artistic practice in the city as a big social game. The editorial staff assumes a downtown viewpoint from where the young members observe the city to analyze and criticize it. Ragnatele is primarily an ongoing weekly workshop that creates networks and experimental publications that monitor actions and ideas in circulation. It is a creative social network of young artists from Foligno, Italy, that experiments with different media. Since 2006, the workshop has produced a quarterly free publication, a sort of monograph in varying formats with the support of the municipal youth policies of the city of Foligno.