Collection: Newspapers
The Manipulator
Issue Number Twelve, 1987
Avant-garde Magazine
Publication Type: Avant-garde Magazine
Issue: Number Twelve, 1987
Era: 1980s–1990s
Format: 19.5 x 27.5 inches (Oversized)
Pages: Unbound, unpaginated [48] pages
Editors: David Colby, Wilhelm Moser, Johno du Plessis
Focus: Fashion, Photography, Architecture, Design, Film, Art
Founded by: Wilhelm Moser and David Colby
Published: Quarterly, 1984-1994
Condition: Original vintage copies
Rarity: Rare
About The Manipulator
The Manipulator was a visually striking, avant-garde magazine that ran during the 1980s and early 1990s, billed as "the largest magazine ever printed." Founded by artists Wilhelm Moser and David Colby, it was published quarterly between 1984 and 1994. Known for its oversized format (19.5 x 27.5 inches) and high production values, it blended fashion, photography, architecture, design, film, and art in a way that pushed the boundaries of traditional magazine publishing.
The magazine was particularly coveted for its poster-sized display of photographs, printed on heavy "book paper" stock with color and black & white illustrations throughout. Each issue was unbound and unpaginated, containing approximately 48 pages of experimental editorial content. While not part of the 1960s counterculture or underground press movement, The Manipulator embodied a distinct form of alternative media that attracted artists, designers, and cultural figures who were shaping the postmodern aesthetic of the late 20th century.
Issue Twelve Contents (1987)
This issue features an exceptional collection of contemporary art, architecture, and photography. Contents include:
- • A profile of the Brooklyn Army Terminal by David Colby with photographs by Hans G. Deumling
- • An article on altered states by Manfred Moser with photographs by Rainer Leitzgen and Barry Lategan
- • Poetry by David Robillard and an excerpt from a book by Amy Randall with photographs by Alastair Thain
- • Joan Quinn discusses favorite jewelers with a portrait by Albert Sanchez
- • The buildings and people of Barcelona by Michi Mitjans, with architectural photographs by Wilhelm Moser and portraiture by Marie Espeus and Colby on Gaudi
- • Johno du Plessis on graffiti, with NYC photographs by Joyce Ravid and Joerg Huber in Paris
- • The art of Senza Titolo
- • Contributions from photographers Peter Lindbergh, Nick Knight, James White, Marc Lebon, and more
Most text in English with some content in German, Spanish, and Italian.
Subjects
Historical Context
Emerging during a period of transformation in visual media, The Manipulator offered a new model for cultural magazines—one rooted in design innovation and editorial boldness. Rather than reporting on social rebellion or radical politics, it explored identity, aesthetics, and the evolving boundaries of contemporary culture.
Collection Notes
This publication represents a rare and iconic example of 1980s/90s independent magazine culture. Its distinctive format and design ethos provide valuable insight into alternative publishing and visual experimentation during a formative era in postmodern media.
