"ZERO magazine (Otto Piene & Heinz Mack. 1958 – 1961)"

An essay completed in Fall 2022 for Advanced Topics in Collections: Artists' Books

Abstract: ZERO magazine is series of three (3) artist-made magazines, published and edited by Otto Piene (1928 - 2014) and Heinz Mack (1931-) in Düsseldorf, Germany between 1958-1961,1 to transmit ideas of the Zero movement across an international forum and to draw attention to the innovations in contemporary art that were occurring throughout Europe in the post-war era.

Zero magazine fits within the history of artists’ books defined by Johanna Drucker within her writings on the “democratic multiple” for its presence in the post-1945 era of art and literature, and its identity of a self-published journal during a time when mass-produced publications were becoming an available format for artists to work within due to the declining expenses of the reproduction processes. It is an example of artists using the codex format as an alternative to the system to the gallery structure, as artists were increasingly able to work outside of the art gallery to communicate, share, and develop new experimental ideas with an expanded reach to larger audiences and geographic regions. Historically, Zero magazine precedes Enrico Castellini and Piero Manzoni’s magazine Azimuth (2 issues; published Milan; 1959, 1960) and anticipates later artists’ journals such as Liza Béar and Willoughby Sharp’s magazine Avalanche (8 issues; published 1970-1976; NYC).

The Zero magazine physical objects are offset printed, 20 cm height, with variable page ranges. The text blocks of each are printed in black ink on white paper. Issues 1&2 have paper covers, and issue 3 is hardbound. The covers of each issue are distinct in color: Issue 1 is printed with black title on a red-ink background, Issue 3’s cover is white with a black-ink title, and Issue 3 is printed with the white inkless paper showing through for the title surrounded by a black-ink background. According to the Zero Foundation catalogue issues 1 & 2 were published in 1958, and issue 3 was published in 1961.

This essay introduces the historical significance of the artist publication, surveys existing copies in other collections, compares the price of the highlighted auction sale to other copies available, and makes a recommendation.