“We’re creators by permission, by grace as it were.
No one creates alone, of and by himself.
An artist is an instrument that registers something already existent,
something which belongs to the whole world,
and which, if he is an artist, he is compelled to give back to the world.”
- HenryMiller

The nature of curation is a question posed repeatedly at 1985. For us, a curator is much more than a mere champion of the arts --- more definitively it is someone with a compulsive passion to organize for the creative & cultural good. In Issue 15 we feature seven curators dedicated to emerging artistry & the sustainability of art for art’s sake, enabling artists to exercise freedom of expression outside of the confines of commercial interest. Without them, we would be left alone to wade through the uniform quagmire that is our current cultural tide.

This special issue marks our second anniversary. In the two years since we opened our doors, we’ve built a network of over 100 emerging artists from 10 different countries. Together, with our contributors comprised of noted curators, influencers and creatives, we continue to share our passion for discovery, offering open access for nearly every artist profiled in our pages. By providing a new platform for our collaborators, we strive to reinvent the way we think about art, experience creative work, and ultimately, alter the boundaries of our own imaginations.

And so, in the spirit of curation and these inherent values, we are proud to officially announce the unveiling of 1985 Studio.

That little tab on the top of the page called “studio” will transport you to our other dimension, a veritable universe of creativity where we bring together brand and artist to create content opportunities & marketing strategies fueled by the countless insurgent creators in our ranks. Our creative process is driven by the artist, as we consider the gifts of expression & connection to be among our most versatile tools, in turn giving birth to an irrepressible voice in a commercial venue. 

Our studio artists orchestrate a handful of different perspectives in the collaborative process, resulting in a multi-faceted yet integrated complexity, with the greatest potential for a captivated & sustained audience. Such collaboration allows content to speak in the most developed way to the largest number of people. These studio artists are the New Storytellers – true authors of the moving image. As such, 1985 and 1985 Studio can now coexist on the axis of a shared dream: to disrupt the current means of art and commerce. Art in advertising is still about as progressive as the late Soviet era Proletkult, & the business of fine art these days feels akin to the slinging of condos in NYC’s real estate bubble --- How long can it really last? We only hope to be an alternative to the Sturm und Drang, the Rank & File, the Bread & Circus. We are a generation of collaborators - an integrated creative voice piercing through the majestic complexus of digital expression.

                                  Thank you for reading, & please stay tuned.
                                              There's more just around the corner.