Jul 11

Jul 11 Issue No. 28 — Control

**Musée Magazine Issue No. 28 — Control**
Cover image: Tyler Mitchell, *Treading*, 2022. Courtesy of Gagosian

EDITOR LETTER

Control is a delicate balance. We want to feel our hands firmly on the reins of life without suffocating its unpredictability. We want stability and serendipity at the same time. Issue 28 explores this duality, and asks readers to consider the role control plays in the production and consumption of art. With ten featured, fourteen emerging, and five spotlight artists, this issue represents a variety of diverse creatives who break down boundaries of authority through their artistry. The photographers and artists featured explore the use of control as both a technical and ideological element. As with all artists, their work pushes boundaries and provokes conversation.

What makes someone want to be an artist? Artists have control over their craft. They choose the manner in which to design and present their work. Yet, the narrative and trajectory of these artists is not always theirs to decide. Galleries and museums have particular visions of the work they want their artists to show. Power and money have considerable control over artists – but not unequivocally. My dear friend recently left his gallery after feeling pressure to produce work on a timeline that inhibited his creativity. He concluded that he had to prioritize his creative control over the gallery’s program in order to flourish as an artist without interference. In this sense, control is never static. It is a give and take – an ever-changing continuum.

CONTROL IS A CONTENTIOUS TOPIC, BUT A NECESSARY ONE

Control is a contentious topic, but a necessary one. We all seek control in our day to day lives; we create routines, manage relationships, dictate plans. We attempt to control our public perception through carefully curated outfits and social media personas. Like artists, we want to know that our creations – be that a photograph, painting, or manifestation of self—are uniquely our own. This issue’s featured artists explore and manipulate the many facets of control through a variety of lens-based work.

The renowned Tyler Mitchell—this Issue’s cover artist-- exhibits intense stylistic control, crafting a signature style that is natural and striking. Through technical elements like color, light, and focus, he takes control over art’s ability to craft visual narrative. Mitchell considers historically denied freedoms for his community through idyllic portraits of black individuals enjoying moments of peace and leisure amidst a culture of systemic violence.

Steven Klein’s dynamic images are radical and rebellious. His subjects are blood splattered, costumed, and passionate, defying the world’s perceptions of what is “right”. Nan Goldin’s intimate portraits give voice to the often-voiceless LGBTQ+ community and subvert antiquated rhetoric of class-controlled histories. Her photos are tender, honest, and sensual. They tell stories that stretch against and beyond the frame.

Laia Abril takes interest in the relationship control has with women’s bodies. Abril works across a variety of mediums to tell raw stories of womanhood that are too often censored from public consumption. She highlights the abuse of power that women face every day by simply existing. Mona Kuhn’s work in this issue is similarly interested in redressing female narratives. Kuhn’s portraits subvert historical conceptions of the nude and emphasize the natural and un-objectified beauty of women’s bodies.

Artists control the angle of their brush stroke, the speed of their shutter, or the tone of their voice. They battle against systems of art management that get to decide whose work is worthy and why. At Museé as well, we are aware of the privilege in choosing what artists and works we feature– something never easy to do in a world full of such talented creators. I’m proud of and excited about the work in issue 28, in which we also debut a new redesign to highlight the fantastic work of our contributors more vibrantly than ever. Please enjoy.

MASTHEAD

Founder / Editor in Chief Andrea Blanch

Creative Directors Sam Shahid / Matthew Kraus

Art Director John MacConnell

Business Development Stephen Mooallem

Editorial Directors Ellen Schweber / Ann Schaffer

Editorial Advisors Steve Miller / Shawn Waldron

Contributing Editor Terrence Burford-Phearse

Senior Photo Editor Lingfei Ren

Photo Editors Ari Adams / Alanna Reid / Haley Winchell / Luxi He / Ece Yavuz / Yanting Chen / Chrissy Nelson

Writers Frederica Belli / Gabrielle Keung / Maxwell Mckeon / Olivia Young / Anvita Brahmbhatt / Nina Rivera / Caroline Johnson / Emma Ashley / Emily Sorkein / Anna Debiec / Malia Chendo / Wenjie (Demi) Zhao

Copy Editors Chloe Rain / Robyn Hager / Taina Millsap / Janeen Mathisen

Social Media / Marketing Christina Quoka

Editorial Assistant Maria Carniero / Piper Kozar-Meyers

Newsletter Graphic Designers Casey Clougherty / Lou Miller

Website museemagazine.com
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SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO MUSÉE NO. 29: OPEN CALL
For every issue, Musée Magazine is honored to support the work of emerging artists. We are accepting submissions of up to 10 images. If selected, the artist will be included in a spread featuring their work in the upcoming issue. Our next issue is an OPEN CALL, so submit your very best work of any theme. Deadline for submission is AUGUST 15, 2023. To submit, please visit museemagazine.com/submissions.

Production and additional art direction by SHAHID / KRAUS & COMPANY

Printed in Singapore by PRISTONE