Marfa Magazine Issue 20

Marfa Journal (formally Marfamily) is a collaborative project, presenting an intimate take on the current state of culture. It blends various disciplines of contemporary arts into the format of a hardcover book.

Put out your most positive energy for MARFA #19. We’ve been very busy and need the additional smiles.

As you are reading this, MARFAMILY have completed their office move to a superb Central London location. With windows overlooking Westminster Abbey and a water cooler playing backdrop to the most elevated of chit-chats, it’s a wonderful new home. After constant travel over the past few months, it’s also nice to enjoy the stillness and charge our space with motivating and beneficial vibes for MARFA #19. Framed by three fictional letters from Osaka, Los Angeles and Berlin, this issue was put together with our personal uplifting mantra in mind: YIN YANG, DING DONG.

As always, the issue is filled to the brim with delightful contributions from Senta Simond, Lily McMenamy, Jess Cole, Andre Walker, Ethan James Green, Emma Wyman, Alexandra Gordienko, Oliver Hadlee-Pearch, Anton Gottlob, Esther Theaker, Bianca Raggi, Max Farago, Theo Sion, Linda Engelhardt, Max Pearmain, Nick Sethi, Jonathan Frantini, Takashi Homma and Avena Gallagher.

It’s been a hectic time, but we’re never not accomplishing something. Here is the list of what we’ve achieved: a visit to Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch to spend time with principal ballerina Emma Barrowman; met up with the owner of Berlin’s most iconic coffeehouse institution; took a stroll around the impressive studio of Thomas Ruff in Düsseldorf; walked the streets of NewYork City with Sandra Bernhard and Lizzi Bougatsos; listened to the ocean waves with Abby Champion in Los Angeles. Back in London, we had a ‘deep and meaningful’ chat with Mark Leckey and shared a plate of creamed spinach with Keira Knightley.

We produced some undoubtedly brilliant photo shoots too, which feature Esther McGregor, Jeanne Cadieu, and another that includes menswear fashion – which you don’t often see in MARFA. Truly winning content.

Repeat after MARFA: Always be succeeding.

The biannual title is crafting itself a multi-faceted profile with public events and branded t-shirts that are true to the zeitgeist spirit of the magazine.

This issue has multiple covers.