Finding aid for The Thing Quarterly, 2007-2014.
Kit Messick
Descriptive Summary
Title: The Thing Quarterly
Date (inclusive): 2007-2014
Number: 2961-216
Creator/Collector:
Thing Quarterly
Physical Description:
14 Linear Feet
(28 boxes, 3 volumes, 1 tube)
Repository:
The Getty Research Institute
Special Collections
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles 90049-1688
reference@getty.edu
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10020/askref
(310) 440-7390
Abstract: The Thing is a quarterly periodical in
the form of an object. Each year, four artists, writers, musicians or filmmakers are invited
by the editors (Jonn Herschend and Will Rogan) to create an everyday object that somehow
incorporates text. This object will be reproduced and hand wrapped at a wrapping party and
then mailed to the homes of the subscribers with the help of the United States Postal
Service.
Request Materials: Request access to the physical materials
described in this inventory through the
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access policy .
Language: Collection material is
predominantly in English.
Biographical / Historical
"The Thing is a quarterly periodical in the form of an object. Each year, four artists,
writers, musicians or filmmakers are invited by the editors (Jonn Herschend and Will Rogan)
to create an everyday object that somehow incorporates text. This object will be reproduced
and hand wrapped at a wrapping party and then mailed to the homes of the subscribers with
the help of the United States Postal Service."-- THE THING website,
www.thethingquarterly.com, viewed 1 September 2014.
Administrative Information
Access
Open for use by qualified researchers, with the exception of unreformatted audio visual
materials, which are unavailable until reformatted.
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
The Thing Quarterly, 2007-2014, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession no.
2961-216.
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa2961-216
Processing Information
Scope and Content of Collection
THE THING Quarterly is a periodical in the form of an object. It's like a magazine, except
that each issue is conceived of by a different contributor and then published on a useful
object. -- THE THING website, www.thethingquarterly.com, viewed 1 September 2014.
Descriptions of items and issues are taken from THE THING website.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
Indexing Terms
Subjects - Topics
Art objects -- California -- San Francisco -- 21st century --
Periodicals
Genres and Forms of Material
Artists' books -- United States -- 21st century
Multiples -- 21st century
Contributors
Creed, Martin
Franco, James
July, Miranda
Johanson, Chris
Rogan, Will
Herschend, Jonn
Thing Quarterly
No Age (Musical group)
Higgs, Matthew
Rodarte
Baldessari, John
Ebner, Shannon
Mills, Mike
Kine, Starlee
Eggers, Dave
Auerbach, Tauba
Marcus, Ben
Muller, Dave
Shrigley, David
Donnelly, Trisha
Pullen, Lucy
Ezawa, Kota
Nichols, Tucker
Paglen, Trevor
Gander, Ryan
Allora & Calzadilla
Lethem, Jonathan
Muller, Dave
tube 1
Issue 1 - Miranda July
2007
Scope and Content Note
Miranda's issue was a vinyl pull-down window shade complete with mounting brackets.
There were two different shades with text silkscreened on the inside of each. The
process of selection was completely random.
box 2
Issue 2 - Anne Walsh
2007
Scope and Content Note
Issue 2, by Anne Walsh, is a solid rubber wedge with a letter written to Tennis Star
Billie Jean King set into the top of the wedge. The letter was written by a very young
Walsh. Issue includes a list of ways that the wedge can be used.
box 3
Issue 3 - Kota Ezawa
2007
Scope and Content Note
Issue 3, by Kota Ezawa, consists of the shipping box stamped in Cyrillic, a letter from
the editors translated into Mandarin, and a white baseball cap with Arabic text.
volume 4
Issue 3.5 - Tucker Nichols
2007
Scope and Content Note
Issue 3.5, by Tucker Nichols, was a surprise issue. The issue consists of four beer
mats, each with text from businesses Tucker encountered on a trip to Northern
California.
volume 5
Issue 4 - Trisha Donnelley
2008
Scope and Content Note
Issue 4, by Trisha Donnelly, is a secret issue only known to those who subscribed
during the first year.
box 6
Issue 5 - Lucy Pullen
2008
Scope and Content Note
Issue 5, by Lucy Pullen, is a mathematically bisected piece of Canadian white ash with
the words "Event Being" drilled into two angles. It is accompanied by a small poster of
her original design.
box 7
Issue 6 - Allora & Calzadilla
2009
Scope and Content Note
Issue 6, by Allora & Calzadilla, consisted of a blank book, entitled "Problems and
Promises," which was attached to a tennis shoe. One of the tennis shoe laces was sewn
into the spine of the book.
box 8
Issue 7 - Jonathan Lethem
February-April 2009
Scope and Content Note
Jonathan's issue is entitled the "Chaldron Optical System," and was created in
collaboration with Project Selima and Matt. It relates to his novel
Chronic City and consists of a glasses case, a pair of clear
glasses with text on each of the arms, and a care and maintenance manual written in both
English and French.
box 9
Issue 8 - Trevor Paglen
May-July 2009
Scope and Content Note
Issue 8 is by experimental geographer Trevor Paglen. The issue was a military style
coffee mug with a patch that Trevor had collected from the military's "black" world, the
world of the military that officially does not exist.
box 10
Issue 9 - Ryan Gander and Europa
Winter 2009
Scope and Content Note
Issue 9 is by visual artist Ryan Gander and design collective Europa. This issue was
released on Dec. 16, 2009. Their issue consists of a package of parallel playing cards
(card printed on both sides). The cards come with an insert poster and explanation of
the project and instructions for a game of parallel black jack.
box 11
Issue 10 - Starlee Kine
Spring 2010
Scope and Content Note
Starlee's issue of
THE THING, entitled "Crying
Instructions," is a bamboo cutting board designed only for onion cutting, with text that
has been seared into its surface. It also includes a locker poster of a crying McNulty
from
The Wire TV series (illustrated by Arthur Jones),
and a set of Crying Instructions written by Starlee.
box 12
Issue 11 - Chris Johanson
February-April 2010
Scope and Content Note
Issue 11, by visual artist Chris Johanson, is a set of handmade ceramic wine cups
designed by Chris and created in collaboration with Pigeon Toe Ceramics in Portland. The
issue comes complete with a poster of the moon rising and instructions for drinking wine
and relaxing with friends. The bottom of each cup has the text, "I wish you well."
box 13
Issue 12 - DOO.RI
Fall 2010
Scope and Content Note
Issue 12 is by the clothing design collaborative DOO.RI. The issue is a custom made
T-shirt made of sheer fabric with a 3-foot long tag that hangs down the back of the
shirt listing every possible fabric, manufacturing location, and washing instruction
ever listed on a shirt. The issue comes complete with two sewn-in grommets and push-pins
for wall display.
box 14
Issue 13 - Martin Creed
Winter 2010-2011
Scope and Content Note
Issue 13 is by visual artist, writer and curator Matthew Higgs and visual artist Martin
Creed. The issue consists of a 12 inch vinyl 120 gram picture disk with Mathew Higgs on
one side and Martin Creed on the other. The record contains one track by Martin Creed
entitled "My Advice" with words and music by Martin Creed.
box 15
Issue 14 - James Franco
Spring-Summer 2011
Scope and Content Note
Issue 14 is by actor, writer, filmmaker and visual artist James Franco. It consists of
a 6 x 8.5 inch table mirror with a wallet sized photo of the actor Brad Renfro (now
deceased). The photo is set into the mirror frame and is accompanied by handwritten,
lipstick text (written on each mirror by James Franco). The text reads "Brad Forever."
The issue also includes a 9.5 x 27 inch black and white fold-out poster of James
receiving a carving of the word "BRAD" in his arm by tattooer Mark Mahoney.
box 16
Issue 15 - MacFadden & Thorp
Fall 2011
Scope and Content Note
Issue 15 is by San Francisco-based graphic designers Brett MacFadden and Scott Thorpe.
It consists of a three color flag (24" x 36" inches) and comes complete in a triangular
box and a printed Flag Code. The design on the flag indicates the instructions on how to
fold the flag. It is a flag that stands for folding a flag.
box 17
Issue 16 - Dave Eggers
Winter 2011-2012
Scope and Content Note
Issue 16 is by American writer Dave Eggers. Published on a shower curtain, with the
idea that one would read it while showering, this issue is a monologue told to Dave
Eggers by his shower curtain. It was produced in collaboration with Izola and is printed
on a 72" x 72" inch PEVA (PVC-free) shower curtain.
box 18
Issue 17 - Shannon Ebner
Spring 2012
Scope and Content Note
Issue 17 is by Los Angeles-based visual artist Shannon Ebner. Shannon's issue features
a glass bottle filled with syrup from the maple trees surrounding Mike Czok's house in
Braintree, Vermont, complete with a gold sticker that reads "syrup." The issue also
includes an 18" x 27" fold out poster of a black and white photograph of a tree.
box 19
Issue 18 - Mike Mills
Fall 2012
Scope and Content Note
Issue 18 is by American filmmaker and visual artist Mike Mills. Entitled "The Fabric of
Events," the issue is a minimalist nod to the punk rock aesthetic of the 70s and 80s and
serves as both a 2013 pocket calendar and a brief survey of historical events that have
had cultural impact on each of us.
volume 20
2012 special project - Dave Muller
2012
Scope and Content Note
This fold-out pamphlet,
Dave's Top Ten Compass Roses for
2012
, was sent as a thank you gift for continuing subscribers.
box 21
Issue 19 - David Shrigley
Spring 2013
Scope and Content Note
Issue 19 is by visual artist David Shrigley. Entitled
THE TRAVEL
ISSUE
, it was produced in collaboration with designer Matt Singer and consists
of a leather travel wallet lovingly gold foiled with the text "The Travel Wallet."
Inside the wallet there is a series of four double-sided removable phrase cards and a 24
page passport book (which can also be removed). The phrase cards are in English (in Mr.
Shrigley's handwriting) and are designed to be used in all situations where phrases are
required. Some examples of text on the cards: "Can I have your shoes?" and "Please Help
me." Written and illustrated by Mr. Shrigley, the 24 page passport book is a meditation
on travel, existentialism, and pool splashing.
box 22
Issue 20 - Tauba Auerbach
Summer 2013
Scope and Content Note
Issue 20, by visual artist Tauba Auerbach, takes the form of a 24-hour wall clock.
Auerbach is known for creating work about language and logic through a variety of media.
Her training as a traditional sign painter often informs her text-based work. For this
issue, the artist designed the clock face and its 24 numerals. The clock's mechanism
runs from midnight to midnight, meaning the hands circle the clock once every 24
hours.
box 23
Issue 21 - Ben Marcus
Fall 2013
Scope and Content Note
Issue 21 is by experimental novelist Ben Marcus. The issue includes a custom tin of
Thompson Cream - a salve for people and things, as well as an accompanying booklet
containing text by Marcus. It can be applied to most any situation.
box 24
Issue 22 - John Baldessari
Winter 2014
Scope and Content Note
Issue 22 is by LA-based conceptual artist John Baldessari. It consists of two 100%
cotton sateen pillowcases featuring an image of a woman clutching a pillow. The black
and white image is taken from a Hollywood film still in Baldessari's collection and has
been silkscreened on each pillowcase with environmentally-friendly, water-based ink.
box 25
Issue 23 - David Korty special edition
2014
Scope and Content Note
THE THING Quarterly's issue 23 is by LA-based visual artist David Korty. This special
edition of the issue contains a set of six hand-made ceramic dice (sculpted by
Oakland-based ceramic studio Atelier Dion and hand-dyed by David Korty), a custom
dice-carrying bag (featuring unique drawings by Korty), and instructions for the game
"Mr. Natural." Please note that these editions are not numbered or signed.
box 26
Issue 24 - Rodarte
September 2014
Scope and Content Note
Issue 24 is by Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, with contributions from experimental
punk group No Age and director/photographer Todd Cole. It thematically revolves around
the idea of deconstruction, a common theme in Rodarte's design work. The record's sound
and imagery are repurposed from 'Aanteni' (2010), a short art and fashion film produced
by Rodarte, which also features direction by Todd Cole and an original soundtrack by No
Age. The film explores similar themes of balance and chaos.
The 12" picture disc on clear vinyl features two tracks by No Age. Side A provides the
ambient 9-minute soundtrack from 'Aanteni' with an abstracted film still by Todd Cole.
Side B features a 13-minute live version of the track, "ruined" by looping the sound
repeatedly on itself, with burnt remnants of Cole's same film still. A conceptualized
inner sleeve and gatefold jacket house the issue, displaying more of Cole's imagery. The
issue also includes a free download of both No Age tracks and comes shrink-wrapped in a
signature THING Quarterly custom box.
Unreformatted audio visual materials are unavailable until reformatted.
box 27
Issue 25 - Brian Roettinger
January 2015
Scope and Content Note
Los Angeles–based artist and two-time Grammy-nominated graphic designer Brian
Roettinger is celebrated for the graphic design and art direction he has created for
artists, architects and musicians such as No Age, Liars, Beach House and Jay-Z. Issue 25
is a massive catalogue raisonné that collects, documents and indexes the majority of
Roettinger's design work produced to date.
box 28
Issue 26 - Gabriel Orozco
Spring 2015
Scope and Content Note
Gabriel Orozco was born in Jalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. He was educated at the Escuela
Nacional de Artes Plásticas between 1981 and 1984 and at the Circulo de Bellas Artes in
Madrid between 1986 and 1987. Known for his investigations into circularity, cycles,
rotation, spinning, and movement, Orozco is, perhaps not surprisingly, also an avid
boomerang thrower. Issue 26 fuses his art and his sport by taking the form of a
boomerang made in the USA from aircraft-grade birch. Also included is a limited run
fold-out poster.
box 29
Issue 27 - Michelle Grabner
Summer 2015
Scope and Content Note
Michelle Grabner (born 1962, Wisconsin) is Professor and Chair of the Painting and
Drawing Department at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she has been
teaching since 1996. Grabner and her husband Brad Killam run the artist project space
called The Suburban in Oak Park, Illinois, which they developed with friend David
Robbins in response to the idea that the suburbs were an overlooked site for avant-garde
activities. Issue 27 is a fully functional gingham soccer ball that also functions as a
physical rebuttal to Ken Johnson's 2014
New York Times
review of Michelle's exhibition at James Cohan Gallery, in which he referred to
Michelle's work as that of a boring soccer mom. The issue includes a pamphlet containing
a brief introduction, an interview with Michelle Grabner by editor Jonn Herschend, and a
reproduction of Joe Fyfe's review of the review in
HyperAllergic.
box 30
Issue 28 - Jason Fulford & Tamara Shopsin
Fall 2015
Scope and Content Note
Jason Fulford is a photographer and co-founder of J & L Books. He is a
Guggenheim Fellow and a contribution editor at Blind Spot. Tamara Shopsin is a graphic
designer and illustrator whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Good, Time,
Wired, and Newsweek. Issue 28 is an edition of 1000 hand-numbered ceramic lottery balls.
One ball contains a genuine diamond; the other 999 each have a cubic zirconia inside. The
balls were made in Oakland, CA by Atelier Dion. Caitlyn Galloway hand-painted each one.
box 31
Issue 29 - Ricky Swallow
February 2016
Scope and Content Note
Issue 29 is a porcelain egg cup by LA-based artist Ricky Swallow. It was conceived
alongside Swallow's SHAKER BELL, a limited edition project for THE THING. The starting
point for both objects was the shaker peg, originally designed by Shakers to adhere to
their guiding principals of simplicity, utility, and honesty. THE THING and Swallow
worked closely with North Carolina-based ceramic studio Haand to create a precise mold
of the cardboard form. Using traditional craft methods, the studio then produced the
final porcelain objects in a limited run of 700. A custom stamp bearing the initials
TTQ/RS is pressed into the bottom of each cup. A printed poster designed by the artist
and TTQ accompanies each object.
box 32
Issue 30 - Raimundus Malašauskas
Summer 2016
Scope and Content Note
Issue 30 is a is a collaboration between curator and writer Raimundas Malašauskas,
fashion and theater costume designer Sandra Straukaitė, and artist Elena Narbutaitė. All
three were born in Vilnius, Lithuania. The issue is made from printed cotton fabric
which was produced using images taken from a journal Raimundas Malašauskas dropped into
water and gave to Elena Narbutaitė. The fabric was then sewn into a collar designed by
Sandra Straukaitė. The object itself is the result of a conversation between these
three. It is intended to be worn. Included with the issue is an accounting of some of
the conversations that went into the production of the collar, these conversations will
both shed light on and complicate your understanding of it.
box 33
Issue 31 - Ken Kagami
November 2016
Scope and Content Note
For Issue 31, Tokyo based visual artist Ken Kagami created a black and white bath towel
with all the hidden body parts placed on the outside of the towel...and they are
smiling. The issue includes a zine by Ken Kagami entitled Sexy Body Parts, with an
introduction by Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg.
box 34
Issue 32 - Experimental Jetset
January 2017
Scope and Content Note
Designed by the Dutch design collective Experimental Jetset, and made here in the USA,
Issue 32 is called THE NO-THING. It's an all-purpose, wearable protest blanket, which
says NO or ON depending on how you want to spin your current emotional or political
state of being.
If things get messy, it cleans up easily in the washing machine because it is 100%
cotton. If things get chilly, it can also be used as a couch-based, TV viewing blanket.
If the mood of 'NO' just doesn't feel right, flip it over to the 'ON' side and get
things going!
box 35
Issue 33 - Amanda Ross-Ho,
Spring 2017
Scope and Content Note
Issue 33 is a "trap & release" set consisting of a handblown drinking glass and
postcard of the world. It is intended for spiders and other wayward insects that find
their way into your home. Use it as an effective and empathetic mechanism for
redirection, or as a way to relax with a cold beer or a hot tea while viewing the world
in miniature. Either way, we love the poetry found in this architecture of compassion.
Amanda Ross-Ho lives and works in Los Angeles. Her work draws from a broad hierarchy of
structures, mapping connectivity within the overlapping ecologies of personal and
universal phenomena. Her evolving personal language combines forensic and theatrical
gestures, diagramming the reflexive relationships between production, presentation, and
the social contracts of viewership. Her sculpture, painting, photography, installation,
and most recently, public works have been exhibited widely, nationally and
internationally.
box 36
Issue 34 - Dave Muller
Summer 2017
Scope and Content Note
Issue 34 is a pair of cement bookends by LA-based artist Dave Muller. For his issue, he
used
THE THING's go-to font, Helvetica, on a bookend
design that incorporates books (specifically
ONE LAST
THING
, a catalogue of every issue produced in this quarterly, and included
with this issue) as the letter 'I'. The bookends were fabricated by Atelier Dion in
Oakland, California.