Spanish Modernism & War

In April this year an exhibition in Madrid titled "Magazines and War 1936-1939" showed an extensive collection of Spanish Civil War era art related magazines. Many of the magazine covers are documented on the exhibition's website, and I definitely recommend spending some time browsing some of the beautiful masthead treatments (Catalans!, Aire), cover illustrations (Nova Iberia), and news layouts (Meridia).

One magazine in particular, for me, is a striking example of the longevity of modernist style. A.C. Documentos de Actividad Contemporanea was a magazine about modern architecture, urbanism, art, film, and culture. It certainly looks of it's time, but the magazine has a fresh familiarity about it that is not far from certain art and design related magazines today. It especially recalls Below the Fold, Jessica Helfand and William Drenttel's occasional design/culture publication, with its stark black and white photography and spot color overprint.

The exhibition website is flash, so to I've included the A.C. covers after the jump for viewing...
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