We released another four issues—NETWORK, CONFLICT, SPEED, and ABERRATION—each one really well received. After three years of MAS Context during which we have released 12 issues, we have had more than 130 contributors that have shared their work and ideas through essays, interviews, photographs, diagrams and videos. To make all that content available, this summer we gave our website a face-lift to allow for easier navigation across platforms and to facilitate cross-referencing content.
In October we organized MAS CONTEXT : ANALOG, a one-day event that included presentations of both emerging and established designers, a temporary bookstore by Golden Age and exhibitions by Plural and David Schalliol. The 12-hour event provided a platform for critical dialogue around design, a place to share ideas and approaches from different disciplines, and celebrated the immense talent of the design community in Chicago (well, except for John Szot who we imported from NY for the day).
Earlier this month, MAS Context, Woodbury School of Architecture, and WUHO presented ABERRATION: LIVE, a one-night-only live publishing event. One part magazine, two parts launch party, ABERRATION: LIVE was part of Woodbury School of Architecture’s inaugural “Publish Or…” launch series, which celebrates and critiques the connections between architecture and publication, print and digital.
Also this year, MAS Context became a not for profit organization and applied for a 501c(3) status (result still pending). Taking this step will create the appropriate structure to raise funding and exposure to the issues we release and the events we organize.
Finally, we don’t have enough words to thank The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation for their continuous support to MAS Context. Also, big thanks to Evergreen Properties, Coalesse, and Allsteel for supporting MAS CONTEXT : ANALOG.
All the issue releases and events were the result of the hard work of many people. Thank you to everyone who was a contributor in any of the issues, supported or attended any of our events, and shared the work presented in MAS Context. More in 2012!