Fiodor Sumkin, an extraordinary Russian typographer who draws on history for his inspiration, is in the process of discovering Soviet-era Russian periodicals that were published in Paris, Berlin, and Harbin. His archive, titled “Russia Without Russia. Press Archive,” includes some long-forgotten magazines and newspapers that stand out for their design and editorial content. They range from satiric to reportage-based, with a beautiful children’s magazine for good measure. “To me, this is just tons of inspiration,” he says. To see more, go here and click away—you’ll find entire issues scanned and printable.
The satiric ones have names like Oukwat, Bitche, and Satyricon; the cultural ones are Russia Illustrated, The Firebird, and Theatre de la Vie; the children’s magazine is Swallow, and then there is the general-interest Frontier.
The Firebird
Bitche
Bitche interiors
Satyricon
Swallow
Frontier
Oukwat
Oukwat interiors
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About Steven Heller
Steven Heller is the co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer /Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program, writes frequently for Wired and Design Observer. He is also the author of over 170 books on design and visual culture. He received the 1999 AIGA Medal and is the 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian National Design Award.View all posts by Steven Heller →