I came across Zhoupheus magazine by rooting through the various internet posts of Valin Mattheis, an artist who features in this second issue. Issue Two arrived from the States wonderfully packaged, with a piece of very stiff backing cardboard to keep it nice and straight. It’s always a good sign when a magazine comes well packaged. Makes it clear that the creators care a lot about what they’ve produced, and they want to ensure it gets to you in pristine condition. The editors do actually state ‘The quality of the publication is parallel to the qualities of the contributors that partake in its unfolding.’
Zhoupheus is a bi-annual esoteric magazine, and the information on their site states:
‘Founded in 2012, it is conceived to cover a plurality of branches that involve the lore of what could be called primordial wisdom and its re-emergence in the modern world. Zhoupheus wishes to be a collaborative platform for authors and artists to share their work and to facilitate the creation of new, thought-provoking ideas that defy the mundane theoretical standards of society.’
The lay-out of the magazine is fluid, with text and imagery both beautifully presented. The topics discussed in the magazine are profound and not suitable for ‘light reading.’ When you sit down with it, ensure there are no distractions, because it requires your undivided attention from start to finish.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Editor’s letter. It feels like one that was mulled over, rather than rushed off in half an hour, during a particularly riveting episode of Breaking Bad.
‘The vernal equinox was and still us a time of year during which the rebirth of nature is celebrated. It is a time of fertility, of new beginnings. What better day to release the second issue of Zhoupheaus. Our goal has always been to be a platform and fertile ground for artist and intellectual output that challenges the standards put in place by the overarching cultural consensus.’
Some of my favourite sections include an interview with Andrew Schmidt, ‘a pioneer in occult sculpting, the surreal and unsettling artwork of Santiago Caruso and a feature on artist Valin Mattheis. I’d recommend Zhoupheus to anyone with a strong interest in esotericism, philosophy and art. As I mentioned before, it’s not light reading, and you might find that the subjects featured don’t settle into your head too easily. But if you want to absorb the contents, you’ll find space in your psyche.
(Santiago Caruso)
‘Santiago Caruso was born in 1982 and lives in Quilmes, Argentina. He is a symbolist and surreal artist, with an avant-garde concept but rooted in nineteenth century decadentism.’
(Valin Mattheis)
‘For as long as I can remember, religious ideas have fascinated me. Not in any kind of personally involving way, I have always been an outsider when it comes to religion proper. I’ve never professed faith or believed in some grand exterior force extending its shadowy hand into our grovelling mortal lives.’
Links::
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zhoupheus?fref=ts
Website: http://zhoupheus.com/
Celebrating the strange and the shadowy, the damned and unseen 