Today the Art21 Magazine launched its Winter 2018 issue, “Whose Public?” Inspired by the unceasing relevance of Barbara Kruger’s work, the issue will meditate on the evolving role of our public spaces—both physical and virtual—and on the power of the collective voice.

The new issue also marks a shift in the Art21 Magazine’s editorial voice. Publishing quarterly instead of bimonthly, these seasonal issues will be curated and edited by our executive director and chief curator Tina Kukielski, and will focus on the voices of artists with an eye toward broader themes and urgent topics.

Tina introduces the issue and this new publishing cadence in her “Letter from the Editor,” stressing the need for contemporary art and artists in current debates over public space, power, and ownership. Also included in the issue launch is an essay by artist Ken Lum, who writes about the findings of Monument Lab, a city-wide public art exhibition he co-curated in Philadelphia in 2017. The final article in today’s issue launch is a special interview with artist Barbara Kruger. Accompanying Wednesday’s Extended Play premiere, Kruger shares her media diet, what she sees as art’s role in contemporary society, and the inspiration behind two of her earliest works.

Check back on the Art21 Magazine for new essays and articles on the shifting role of public spaces through the end of March.