From The Studio to Studio International

This lecture will begin by exploring how the relaunch of The Studio in 1964 as Studio International was the beginning of a return to the radical policy of the original publication, The Studio: an illustrated magazine of Fine and Applied Arts, founded in 1893 by Sir Charles Holme.

His radical concept was to bring fine art, architecture and decorative arts together into one well designed and accessible journal. High design standards and an international perspective combined when the British were becoming more interested in art and design from outside the UK. This contributed to its success. Owned by a three generation dynasty, the longest running art magazine’s fortunes took a downturn after World War 2 until its re-branding as Studio International in 1964.

The lecture will explore the conditions that enabled that change to occur, with a focus on innovations in artists’ pages and contributions.

Dr Jo Melvin is a curator and writer, Reader in Archives and Special Collections at Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts, London and Director of the Estate of Barry Flanagan. Recent exhibition projects include Grace Weir: Unfolded at Laure Genillard Gallery (2017); Fifteen people present their favorite book, Spoleto, Italy (2017); Barry Flanagan: Light Pieces and other works at & Model, Leeds (2017); ‘Kozlov in Retrospect’, a lecture at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds (2016); The Xerox Book at Paula Cooper Gallery, New York (2015); Five Issues of Studio International at Raven Row, London (2015). She is guest curator with the Mahler & LeWitt Studios and devising an artist publication and publication-as-exhibition project in collaboration with Viaindustriae, Folignio and Radio Arte Mobile, Rome.