Foam Magazine

“What’s next?” is the question asked by the latest issue of Foam magazine. For its 10^th anniversary, the magazine stepped away from its usual format and recounted a year spent asking “photographers, critics, writers, academics, researchers, curators and media specialists to formulate their own inspirational visions of the future of photography”. A choice that reflects what has been the editorial team’s orientation for the past decade: forward. 

Foam magazine was born as the international arm of the Foam museum of photography in Amsterdam. Since its beginnings, Foam has made the publicizing of new, undiscovered talents in photography a priority. The museum holds four major shows a year – usually dedicated to an established photographer – and no less than 16 shorter exhibitions featuring the up and coming of contemporary photography. Foam magazine’s stand is even bolder: each fall, the magazine publishes a double issue entitled Talent, featuring the work of 16 young photographers (up to 35 years old).

Foam magazine is first and foremost a photo magazine. Each issue falls under an elegant one-word title – Happy, Sidewalk, Young, Displaced – which serves as an overarching theme for eight extensive portfolios inside. A quarterly publication distributed in 25 countries, Foam unites a community of passionate photographers, visual artists, designers and curators in contemporary photography.

What may be called the Foam project in general, revolving dynamically around the Foam museum in Amsterdam, has been highly successful. In 2011, the museum has reached a record 210 000 visitors and has expanded into a Foam concept store combining photography and fashion – after having previously expanded into Foam editions and gallery, and into the Foam Lab workshop for young photographers. Foam also gets involved with its community by constantly promoting free guided tours and workshops for the general public and schools.

In short, a detour by Foam when visiting Amsterdam is always worthwhile… and for those who cannot make it, the 2012 Foam Talent call is open until April 16^th.