16th Jul 08

What:
Is Not Magazine issue #11

Where:
On the streets from this weekend
Retrospective exhibition at 37 A'Beckett St, Melbourne

When:
Sun July 20 - Fri July 25, 12-8pm daily
Closing PARTY Fri July 25

How much:
Free entry

Is Not Magazine. A magazine. A poster. Known locally for insane parties and lauded internationally for original, prize-winning design: it confused the hell out of passers by. It fostered local artists and writers. Many a parent of Is Not contributors could proudly say "Well, at least my child has stopped burning hedges."

Having reclaimed public space since 2005, Is Not Magazine is closing its walls. The perishables have been trashed. The self-destruct sequence has been set. All the rugs have been sold. The kid is going home and taking his ball with him. In one final display of plumage, Is Not is holding a retrospective, starting Sunday as part of State of Design.

There will be a closing party next Friday, but go to the retrospective in the mean time to see these near-extinct beasts do an encore. After this their pelts will only ever be seen in private collections, pinned to trophy walls next to Billy Bass the singing fish.

Is Not Magazine's three-year elbowing for public wall space showed that subversion could be free, funny, inspiring, artistic and typographically beautiful. They did it all for you. They also did it for free donuts. Stand and stare once more at this non advertising. Be sold one last time.

By Nghiem Tran

Format: Magazine

Motivation: Improves creativity by osmosis

Keywords: Posters, Design