Viva Futuristika! Zito Soul!
Great news! Futuristika magazine was recently introduced to “SOUL” readers by Vagia Matzaroglou; the editor in chief of the magazine.
Being one of the most inspirational Greek magazines to date, SOUL magazine from Thessaloniki has a monthly circulation of 30.000 issues and is highly respected among Greek readers for its high quality writing, photography and design, as well as its wide spectre of subjects, from art and design, to literature, cinema, music and alternative lifestyle.
As founders and editors of Futuristika, Baris & Ipek Yarsel, answered the questions on behalf of the Futuristika family. A 4-page feature article was published on the 39th issue in October 2009 supplied with images from Futuristika projects, magazine cover, logo, etc.
Below you can find the full interview. Enjoy!
Vagia Matzaroglou: When was Futuristika! born and why? What led you to start the magazine?
Baris: We believe in the immense impact power of the magazines. Magazines give a feeling of freedom that can not be found in books, newspapers or any other publication. The world becomes a better place with their beautiful discoveries. Considering ourselves as “magazine maniacs”, for a long time we are full time readers of many magazines about arts, fashion, design, music, short stories, etc. We pay attention to the “underground” scene, trail the fanzines, hanker after our dentist’s magazine collection openly. We might stroll around the city from one end to another to find a specific mag. When in Moscow we buy magazines in Cyrillic alphabet, in Athens in Greek… We enjoy even though we might not get all :) Deciding to feel the pleasure to be included in this big, crowded and distinguished mass of creative people engaged in magazine making anywhere on earth, our magazine had its start. Futuristika! was originally planned to be only an online magazine. There were some reasons for that. We could have started traditionally as a printed publication. However, we were observing the self-repetition of the traditional magazine concept here and in other parts of the world. So twisting the standard applications, we started to work on “being a web magazine and having printed editions” instead of “being a magazine and having a website”. We really worked hard. We researched and studied carefully each member -successful or not- of that vast family of independent or institutional or online magazines. We took notes, we pondered on the pros and cons. Then blending our soul into our skills and a budget at hand, Futuristika! started.
Ipek: Futuristika!, the magazine of “unique”, “pleasurable”, “interesting” and “extraordinary” subjects, was born on the 1st of January in 2007. We wanted to combine the features of the internet with our favorite “hobby”; writing, with a more creative agenda. And we said ok, now is the time to go online with a magazine in a decent format serving firstly to our need of reading and writing interesting things from our country and the rest of the world and then seeking other means of e-communication with people who have common interests with us. Basically, it just started because we wanted to satisfy our need of a good magazine that is in Turkish.
Why did you name your magazine “Futuristika!”?
Ipek: This question directly goes to Baris; he is the name father!
Baris: We consider ourselves as people stuck in between the past and the future, thus surpassing this pain by being productive and procreative for the magazine. We kinda deliver the past in the future to the future in the past, for we believe in the ethereal and the earthly connection of the future with what is retro and vintage. The future is not a crime but hope, even though it is mostly desperate these times. Then again, in Turkish to be “Futursuz” means to be indifferent or a nihilist even better. In other words, an era of “No Future” and now here we are the “Future” with “No Time”!
Who is behind the magazine?
Baris: We are a couple behind the whole Futuristika project. I and my wife, Ipek. In short, I’m working as a senior editor in a steel company, maintaining a website on that market and preparing monthly magazines specifically on this sector. I write articles to daily newspapers on similar subjects as in Futuristika magazines and articles specifically on football for my fan-club magazine and fanzine (For the brother team of AEK; Fenerbahçe!). I do also continue my masters degree on Communication-IT. I actively participate with my writings in some magazines and community blogs daily feeds and whenever I could create some time, I focus on working my book projects.
Ipek: I’m an architect/interior designer. I own my own architecture and construction company working full time. I’m also a long-term blogger and these days I’m also working on my travel book. Besides the articles I prepare for Futuristika magazines and do my part of editing and managing, I might be considered as the one who is also behind the design of the magazine as well.
Where is your base? Where is your office located? How is the view from your office?
Ipek: Our office is located in Istanbul. We work from our house, why? Because homemade magazines are just like homemade lemonade, they rule! :) Considering that our home office is in one of the best districts in Istanbul, the view is pretty.
Baris: We live in Kadikoy. Since we are an online magazine, it is often getting prepared outdoors; in cafes, restaurants, on the beach… Our home office is in a beautiful neighborhood, close to Kadıkoy center, standing out against the skyscrapers. It is still a joy to spot the lizards on high walls.
Ipek: We live on a calm street with a lot of gardens around; trees, flowers, bugs and butterflies… Our neighbors are; nice people, a fat lazy cat living at our entrance door, a lovely dove couple nesting in our shutters, random city crows on the balcony balustrades, funny pigeons in the parking lot and noisy seagulls keep drumming day and night on our roof.
Everyday life in the magazine office means…
Baris: It means a hard day :) Since Futuristika! is relatively a side job for us, during the week my day starts at 8:00 a.m. rushing to work and around 7:30 p.m. I get back home. Hence, my second shift starts: Futuristika!
Ipek: The same for me as well :)
Baris: After the daily working hours we spend most of our time and weekends preparing articles; researching, reading, choosing subjects, making contacts, interviewing, writing, editing, enriching using images, videos, etc. For Futuristika in Turkish, we try to keep a daily updated e-magazine; we will soon have a downloadable version. We do not have a regular printed version of Futuristika! in Turkish, we print special editions a few times a year. Futuristika! in English is printed quarterly. When we agree that the material is enough for an edition/issue, we get in touch with our Art Director/Graphic Designer and send him the latest version. We somehow make time to gather to discuss on problems, wishes, possibilities, etc. And then, he prepares the edition/issue in pdf and print format. We try to plan and execute the process as regular as a magazine should be.
Ipek: So everyday life in our magazine office means; quite mornings, noons and afternoons during the week but in the evenings and the weekends lots of reading, lots of surfing, lots of mind storming with occasional breaks to do daily chores, to relax, to eat, to drink, to shower, to watch movies, series, TV, etc., to socialize joining events in the city, to travel, to cook, to gather with friends, to go out, to party, to visit family and the list goes on… Futuristika!, for the time being, is a way of life for us one might say.
What makes your magazine different from others on the market?
Baris: Most importantly, we are not didactic. We do not burden the reader with instructive, factual, or educational information and take the joy out. Instead we introduce interesting people who are not widely known or we bring forth unknown sides, interesting characteristics of known people or write about commonly known things, events, topics, etc. in an alternative way. That’s why the subtitle of the magazine is Enteresan Mevzular Dergisi (Magazine of Extra Ordinary Topics). To enjoy Futuristika! thouroughly, we expect from the reader to have over the average knowledge about arts, interest in popular cultural qualities and if necessary a subtle political stance. In this context, only then the reader would feel the joy of the subtext in the articles.
Ipek: This approach might seem to limit the reader circle, but we believe in heroes, not in the crowds. Therefore, we consider each Futuristika! reader a hero. J The magazine has a reasonable attitude to what is happening around yet it doesn’t let you get drowned in anything. It is totally from people who are like the readers; no masks, no secret agendas; we are no médiatique people… I think the readers love how this feels as well.
How is the magazine market in Turkey? Are there any alternative magazines, except Futuristika!? Are there enough readers for them?
Baris: Magazine culture in Turkey still has a long way to go. There are basic issues behind this; the low rate of reading habits, the high demand to the visual media, the slow adaptation of modern techniques in printing and publishing sectors, etc. In the past, Turkey was considered as “The Land of Dead Magazines”, though we had world wide known publications such as GırGır. It was one of the most sold magazines in the world. Independent magazines FOL and Gergedan prepared by cream de la cream of the literal scene of the country did survive relatively a long time too. Nowadays and back then, there were always -and there will be- the main stream magazines by the “big” publication companies, focusing to the same purpose all around the world; the global business of standardization of readers. Pursuing an alternative way to reach to free spirited readers while producing unique and high quality content is pretty hard in our country but magazines such as ROLL –a magazine about music, BANT –an arts and music magazine focused mainly on concert organizations for alternative bands, Karga Mecmua –an arts and culture magazine sold for free, sponsored by the Karga Bar of Kadikoy, should be mentioned as the strongholds in their areas of act.
Ipek: Whether there is a big firm behind a magazine project or it is a project initialized independently, the number of readers is always below the reasonable and this causes a hyper tension between the magazine makers feeling threatened of losing their jobs almost every day. That’s why we feel that independent, digital publication and strong online communication with the readers are important features nowadays.
Is Futuristika! a community effort or a commercial initiative?
Baris: Futuristika! hasn’t taken a shape of a “commercial initiative”, the resistance to being a “community effort” still holds on. We keep our distance close to the readers; we design t-shirts, posters, albums, e-books, etc., we organize online events. Our goal is to become a boutique publishing house in the near future, digitally and traditionally.
Ipek: We do also have a plan of forming an atelier; some kind of an anti-office providing space for Futuristika! lovers to be creative freely.
Are you able to lineup advertisers? Do they understand your philosophy?
Baris: Time to time we receive some proposals but we still haven’t had any that fits to the magazines’ atmosphere. I wouldn’t like to read that the brand new electric generator is out in the market, why would a Futuristika! reader would? Futuristika! gives opportunity, not mainly to known brands, but to artists, musicians, photographers, designers, authors, etc. to be announced freely via the magazine.
Ipek: These days we are evaluating the digital commercial line AdHood which newly arrived to Turkey and we have some Google Adsense advertisements on the website. From where I sit, I can clearly see that they do not understand our philosophy at all :) We might want and need to publish some advertisements in the future, but we would do it to the least disturbing feeling both for us and for our readers. We don’t care about advertising-driven-editorials. We enjoy advertising new bands, books, projects, happenings, etc. We don’t (and won’t) like trading information that would lead our readers to senseless consuming.
What’s your philosophy, your manifesto, your mission? Do you believe that magazines in general have a mission?
Ipek: We love manifests. 20th century was an era of manifests and we believe that they are still the most important means of telling things; summarize precisely, memorize gladly. :) Leaving the first ten years of the millennium behind, Futuristika!, trying to deserve it’s subtitle, is chasing the miracles of the digital age; the retro tastes and the futurist thoughts.
Baris: Magazines are considered or should be considered separately; they are not individualistic like books or subjects of consuming as newspapers. Magazines are man made miracles, otherwise how could we explain what Wired, Sniffin Glue, Monocle, Harper’s Magazine or Playboy did in the past and JPG Mag is doing today? Maybe they haven’t aimed to make any but they created their own missions and they are accounted in between those who made/makes life beautiful, at least for us…
How much Futuristika! costs? Do you have subscription?
Ipek: Futuristika! Special Editions in Turkish are sold for pretty resonable prices. Futuristika! Magazine in English is 12 Euro. Online subscriptions are for free.
Baris: Futuristika! digital version takes too much time and effort due to the lack of editorial staff and to keep the expenses at minimum we preferred to use open code systems until now. Since we have gained enough experience, we are now working on installing a brand new digital assets management system. Futuristika! printed version might be considered expensive comparing it to its’ competitors but this is strictly due to the high printing quality. We do also sell products like t-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc. at reasonable prices. We do not have a regular subscription system for the printed version yet, we distribute the issues by our own means on demand.
Where do you get ideas? What are your preferable subjects?
Baris: We get ideas from people, from the life around us, from the street… If there is a subject out of the main stream, that’s on Futuristika! We choose subjects are from a wide spectrum of interests; from the very first musical visuals of sixties to typographic poem installations created with shadows in tents, from hidden retro songs to unknown details about Borges’ women…
Ipek: While reflecting these “interesting” subjects to our readers, we stay close to the contemporary developments in arts, politics, etc. to advance up-to-date accordingly.
How many people work for Futuristika!? Do you have regular photographers, illustrators, writers etc.?
Baris: Hmm, it is hard to give a specific number.
Ipek: Let’s start with the regulars; Baris and I; we write articles, make interviews, design the magazine, do the entire editorial stuff, etc.
Baris: Then we have Fatih (Gul), our art director/graphic designer; a rare talent. And comes next another dear friend; Pinar (Ilkiz). She is a never ending source of interesting articles, joy-to-read interviews and unique photographs.
Ipek: Our regular poet is Onur (Ozer). He is a young artist writing beautiful poems. He is also an avid contributor to Futuristika! projects and events.
Baris: My namesake Baris (Safran) is also feeding us with his interesting poems and essays mainly on cinema. There is Cenk (Akyol), hosting a radio show called “Rock from Unknown Lands” on the independent channel called Acik Radyo. We are one of the sponsors of his show and he sends in articles about his shows regularly. An archive of his radio show can also be downloaded via Futuristika!
Ipek: Ali (Abaday), Emrah (Doğan), Ozkan (Sahin), Oguz (Yalman) are other names to mention with their brilliant writings and assistance whenever we need. Burak Ozkan, Secil Yersel, Oykum Pala, M. ALi Tuna, Kalimkos, Aycan Aydemir, Angin Guneysu are also regular contributors…
Baris: As we mentioned earlier, we give chance to amateur artists publishing their short stories, poems, projects, etc. for free and there are many other friends, colleagues and associates sending in articles, interviews, images, projects, etc. We love that! We do also have contacts with artists, musicians, etc., local or foreign, who contribute sharing their portfolios and archives. We would like to mention all here but it will take too much space. Thanks to all once again by the way :) They are our superheroes!
What kind of feedback are you getting from your readers and how?
Ipek: We get feed back via emails or comments left on the web or made verbally directly to us or to our friends.
Baris: We have some silent fans; regularly reading the magazines and following events related to Futuristika! But there are quite a lot who communicate actively. Mostly they would share their appreciation for the good work, though rarely we do receive hate mails. These would mainly be political and sexist comments. Futuristika! is against any kind of gender discrimination, religious suppression, imperialist and capitalist atrocity and racism and apparently some “alternatively evolved” hoodlums don’t like that.
Ipek: Sometimes Futuristika! lovers do approach in mysterious ways; sending us little presents, sharing their personal problems (lots of them :), informing us about links -that they bump into while surfing- to interesting stuff that we might like, offering us to cover our hosting expenses, etc. The general opinion goes on about how “interesting” and “original” is the magazine which was what we wanted to achieve to hear since the beginning.
Describe your ideal reader.
Baris: Curious, tracing the details… Interested in what’s behind the seen and favoring the art of subtext.
Ipek: Could stand alone in the crowd while unavoidably being a part of the “masses”, for he or she would be paying dauntless attention to the right thing.
Do you participate/organize events? Why? Do you think that organizing events is like making marketing for the magazine?
Baris: We participate in events held by other organizations to represent Futuristika! But we haven’t organized events such as concerts, festivals, etc. yet. We do organize events like joining in exhibitions, art festivals, independent projects, etc. We gather people; readers or contributors, to collaborate and create on mutual grounds. This kind of event making is good in the sense of providing opportunity to people to meet with each other via Futuristika!, to discover talents, to create together and to form connections. Lately, we have organized a contest for Edgar Allan Poe’s 200th Birthday Celebrations, the winner got a Futuristika! t-shirt designed by Fatih Gul. And we are about to begin a project creating public awareness on how men should wear hosiery; which we suspect to be a great hit in couple of months, just after the seasonal changes. We do like “alternative” approaches to standards.
Ipek: It is nice to get connected with alternative happenings in the country and it would be nice to have that chance abroad as well. It would have been wonderful, for example, to be one of the sponsors organizing a Leonard Cohen or The Mars Volta concert… Maybe some day, who knows? Organizing events helps to establish better communication with the readers and might lead to good connections for community causes.
What event have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why?
Baris: We are proud of our attendance to the 1st International Roaming Biennial of Tehran curated and organized by Amirali Ghasemi and Serhat Koksal. The project will end in 2010. Until then, it is going to be held in different cities in the world. The latest one was in Belgrade. (More info at http://www.biennialtehran.com/). The theme of this biennial was URBAN JEALOUSY. A Jalousie * (“Jealousy” in French) is a window that one can see through but not be seen; barriers that allow us to observe the world without being invited to the table. In this context, Futuristika! magazine joined the 1st International Roaming Biennial of Tehran at its second station; Berlin, peeping through the “jalousie” and looking at the cities of Turkey.
Ipek: Photographs taken by Pinar Ilkiz in different Turkish towns were manipulated by the digital artist Lawrence Roberts from New York. The poster designs were finalized by the art director Fatih Gul after the editing of texts prepared accordingly by Ipek Yarsel and Baris Yarsel. The experience was ultimate since it was kind of an anti-biennale. The idea of criticizing the global biennialization process by creating an independent, low- budget, traveling exhibition which can be presented almost anywhere was a reflection of our beliefs and values.
What are a few of your favorite magazines?
Baris: Foreign published: Dazed & Confused, Plan B, NewYorker, Monocle, Harp (RIP), Swindle, NME, Wired, Uncut, Cabinet, Arthur, JPG Mag, Boom, Esaopus, Frieze, Guernica Webzines: Juxtapoze, The Silent Ballet, WeAreTheImageMakers. Local: Roll, Bant, Calinti (RIP), Basatap…
Ipek: And lots of fanzines in Turkish and in other languages, too many to name them all here…
If you could choose to have one strength of another magazine, what would it be and from which?
Baris: An archive oozing to the past like the NewYorker’s.
Ipek: I would choose the financial advantages, opportunities and luck of any successful and long-lasting magazine mentioned afore. Then the rest would be up to working hard and being creative and those are not big problems to over come when you really want something.
Do you have a dream for the future of your magazine, something you would love to accomplish?
Baris: I hope both would be up and running, regularly e-published and printed with more pages to offer more to our readers holding on to their concepts. I would like to see Futuristika magazines joining projects and enriching their venue. I hope to see our magazines having a considerably authentic place, a well established name in our country as well as in the international arena. I believe everybody behind and in front of the screen would love that!
Ipek: To be not only a magazine but also to be a highly rated movement interwoven with art and music… That is an amazing dream!
“SOUL… Secrets of Urban Life… It actually took off as a game. Put your mind into breaking the word to pieces, then maybe you’ll come up with the initials of the most inspirational Greek magazine to date: Secrets Of Urban Life. SOUL is a magazine with a mission to decode the secrets of metropolitan time and day. Being it Thessaloniki, Athens, London, Stockholm, Paris, Berlin or Tokyo, urban culture has a tendency to decode, exchange, explode, communicate, create, define. How about that for a descent reason to start up a magazine then? How about for a cool, modern, eloquent chronicle on the days, the nights, the streets, the sounds, the heroes and the images we’ve come to embrace as our surroundings. Iconoclastic, alternative, wired, SOUL magazine is all about a new, unbuttoned, trash-resistant Greek generation. Architecture, travel, fashion, interesting people and beautiful ideas, put all this into a magazine that contemplates as easily as it narrates, then take your sweet time to watch what happens. In that case, what happens is: leading, awarded design, unique format, direct visual approach, street-wise attitude. SOUL is the product of aesthetically conscious gang mentality versus blue-collar mediocrity. Which side are you gonna be on?“
