Contemporary is a visual arts

Visual arts

The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...

 magazine, published every month. Founded and edited by Keith Spencer in 1992, it was originally called Contemporary Art. It later changed name to Contemporary Visual Art and CVA

CVA

The abbreviation CVA can refer to:Schools* Carrabassett Valley Academy, a ski and snowboard academy based in Carrabassett Valley, Maine* College of Visual Arts, a four-year private college in Minnesota...

, finally settling for Contemporary in 2002.

Its website claims that it is the world's most widely distributed arts magazine, with an estimated international readership of around 7,500. Contemporary was based in Bermondsey

Bermondsey

Bermondsey is an area in London on the south bank of the river Thames, and is part of the London Borough of Southwark. To the west lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe, and to the south, Walworth and Peckham.-Toponomy:...

, south-east London, but moved its administrative offices to Panama City to start a Spanish-language edition in 2007.

In May 2009, it was reported that the magazine hadn't paid its contributing writers for over a year. http://www.artnet.com/magazineus/news/artnetnews/artnetnews5-19-09.asp

The magazine is published by Brian Mūller, who currently serves as editor and publisher, following the resignation of Emiliano Valdes in December 2008.

Contents

The magazine contains news, features, interviews and reviews focused on contemporary visual art. Damien Hirst

Damien Hirst

Damien Steven Hirst is an English artist, entrepreneur and art collector. He is the most prominent member of the group known as the Young British Artists , who dominated the art scene in Britain during the 1990s. He is internationally renowned, and is reportedly Britain's richest living artist,...

, Maurizio Cattelan

Maurizio Cattelan

Maurizio Cattelan is an Italian artist based in New York. He is known for his satirical sculptures, particularly La Nona Ora , depicting the Pope John Paul II struck down by a meteorite....

, Terry Riley

Terry Riley

Terrence Mitchell Riley, is an American composer intrinsically associated with the minimalist school of Western classical music and was a pioneer of the movement...

, Matthew Barney

Matthew Barney

Matthew Barney is an American artist who works in sculpture, photography, drawing and film. His early works were sculptural installations combined with performance and video...

, Pipilotti Rist

Pipilotti Rist

Elisabeth Charlotte "Pipilotti" Rist , is a visual artist who works with video, film, and moving images which are often displayed as projections.-Life and career:...

, Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono

is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...

 and Tracey Emin

Tracey Emin

Tracey Karima Emin RA is a British artist of English and Turkish Cypriot origin. She is part of the group known as Britartists or YBAs ....

have all featured in the magazine. Contemporary's marketing strategy includes the distribution of specially commissioned limited edition prints by well-known artists free to its subscribers.

Editors-in-chief

• Brian Müller (2008–Present)
• Emiliano Valdes (2007–2008)
• Michele Robecchi (2005–2007)
• Roger Tatley (2003–2004)
• Mark Rappolt (2002–2003)
• Keith Patrick (1993–2002)
• Keith Spencer (1992–1993)

External links

• The magazine's homepage
• "Contemporary Magazine Writers Scandal" http://www.artnet.com/magazineus/news/artnetnews/artnetnews5-19-09.asp, Artnet News, May 19, 2009