All ten published issues of Four Minutes to Midnight are now available to browse on the Issuu website. Check it out and let us know what you think.

In the previous two issues of Four Minutes to Midnight we’ve featured work by an American poet named FA Nettelbeck. I discovered Nettelbeck on the old vispoets forum, ranting at the powerlessness of the “visual poetry” on display and discussion there. I contacted him, showed him my shit, and asked if he would be interested in submitting something to issue 9 of Four Minutes. He did, and I was blown away. As I read up on his story I was floored…

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Four Minutes to Midnight issue 10 has just been reviewed by the reknowned design critic Kenneth Fitzgerald as part of his Chronological Survey. Kenneth has recently reviewed books by Stefan Sagmeister and Debbie Millman, and was a regular contributor to the late, great, Emigre magazine, so needless to say, I’m humbled by the company. I’m inspired and honoured by his critique, not (simply) because of the considered praise from someone I highly respect, but moreso by the depth of his analysis and the revelatory insights of his interpretation.

His understanding of what we’re trying to do with the zine is frighteningly accurate, to the point of spotting the genesis of this project in Steve Baker’s article from New Perspectives: Critical Histories of Graphic Design. Even I had forgotten about that! While studying at Post St. Joost in Breda, I found a stack of the three issue Visible Language series in an old locker, devoured the articles, and shortly thereafter began the process that led to FMTM as part of my MA thesis.

In reading Fitzgerald’s review, I’m reaffirmed that what we’re doing is relevant and has the possibility of genuinely connecting on an aesthetic and emotional level. I’m also challenged by his criticism of its stylistic codification and the danger of commodification. There’s much more work to be done.

Thanks Kenneth!

Read The Chronographical Survey #3: Four Minutes to Midnight, Issue 10.

If you’re interested, here’s a list of other reviews we’ve gotten over the years.

Geof Huth reviews Issue 7: When I Start Writing

Geof Huth reviews Issue 8: Better Living through Typography

…and issue 9: When Else Could Anyone Get Anything Done?

Snap Magazine gives us The Lo-Down (starting on page 19)

Montreal weeklies the Hour and the Mirror gave us a little ink to hype our Musicians are Cowards event.

UPDATE (15/06/10): Emma Healey’s article on 2356 and the fugue in the June issue of the Link, Concordia’s independent paper.

you,
dressed in a formica yellow flower-print skirt
dark eye’d long leg’d, sweet lip’d,
took a pull from the bottle and
blew a line of smoke into the sky,
laughing “fuck them!”
(it didn’t really matter who)
and
I fell into it then…

The tenth issue of Four Minutes to Midnight explores the idea of radical beauty (a theme inspired from this year’s Memefest) interpreted through the words and images of over 30 artists. Our ‘anniversary’ issue is the thickest (and prettiest) one yet, clocking in at a tidy 180 pages.

Some of my personal favorites among the diverse work featured in the issue include a selection of poetry from American ‘outsider’ poet F.A. Nettelbeck, two collaborations between myself and Montreal photographer Dita Kubin, a series of beautiful, seductive portraits painted by Kevin Ledo, and the surreal illustrations from my former student Ilinca Balaban.

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For the ninth issue of Four Minutes to Midnight, we sent out a call for submissions with the tentative theme of “conflict and silence” and were happy to receive responses that explored this relationship through personal and autobiographical perspectives. Gathering these together alongside numerous fragments found along the way, the issue was crafted over the course of a year in the margins of our days and nights. It was truly a labour of love to produce and we hope that it shows…

Featuring the work of over 25 contributors, FMTM 9 is filled with 112 pages of radical textual & visual stimulation. Without a doubt, our sexiest issue yet!

The issue will be launched this weekend at lab.synthese, with musical guests Parlovr, Flames! and American Devices. It should be a really great time, so we hope to see you there!

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Quite an experience to live in fear, isn’t it? That’s what it is to be a slave. I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I’ve watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die…
Rutger Hauer, as Roy Batty, in Blade Runner

Four Minutes to Midnight is a visceral reaction to the encounters between: typography and language, language and culture, culture and politics, politics and fear, fear and love, love and sex, sex and death. Between death and memory, memory and the printed page. In the wake of our sadness, joy, anger and hope. This issue is dedicated to the birds…

True to the expansive definition that introduces this issue of the zine, Issue 8 features the diverse work of over 20 international writers and artists. Some personal highlights include Ralph Dfouni’s personal account of the war in Lebannon, Vincent Tinguely’s polemical poem Oilers, photography by Brigitte Henry, a graphic interpretation of Nadia Myre’s scar project, and of course Fugue 8. With the Fugue, I think we finally articulated the core concept behind the project; composing all the textual fragments and dialogue we’ve shared into a compelling, 28-page typographic epic.

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It’s time to build a new architecture of resistance…
Issue 7 of FMTM was the first issue published out of Montréal in the new (which some call “fancy”) format. Growing out of the concepts developed in my thesis work, but unrestricted by any academic criteria, this issue brings together the work of over 25 artists and writers, remixed, edited and designed by John and myself into a 124 page visual essay on typography, poetry and personal politics.

The issue features a full-colour cover by Abe Burmeister from his Wind Is The Enemy days, and is printed on Strathmore recycled cotton writing paper. Perfect-bound in an edition of 150 hand-numbered copies.

Two years and two issues later, I think it is safe to say our first foray into “radical” self-publishing was quite successful, building a strong community of interest (who knew?) and selling out over the course of the first year. So, if you picked up a copy a some point, thanks!

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Four Minutes to Midnight issues 1 through 5 were created as part of my MA thesis at the London College of Printing in 2004. The ideas behind them and the desire to create a design magazine had been running through my head for many years before (often in frenzied dialogue with John), and the MA provided the perfect opportunity for me to realise them. They were created in a very limited edition (though available for free as printable pdfs) and released over the span of three hectic months.

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Four Minutes to Midnight (23:56) is an experimental literary arts zine edited, designed and published by Kevin Lo and John W. Stuart. The zine began with an open question posed to friends and acquaintances, “what’s wrong?” and has since developed into an annual showcase of experimental writing, design and visual art.

Based in the firm belief that the personal is political, the zine explores the possibility for small stories, bad poetry, vast dreams and private pains as a means of advancing social change. We aim to shed some beauty onto our individual struggles, drawing the connections between them and fostering more honest expressions of love and dissent. Though realistically, we know one little booklet isn’t really going to “change things”, we do hope it’s something that people will carry around with them, flip through, and find a little encouragement and energy when needed.

The zine is also a space for radical typographic experimentation, blurring the line between form and content. We see typography (and graphic design more generally) as a critical and contested area of cultural engagement. We fuck with typography because typography fucks with you…

We’re always looking for new contributors and collaborators, so please feel free to get in touch.