Visionaire is a conceptual fashion publication that first launched in the spring of 1991. Known for pushing well beyond the boundaries of the traditional magazine format, Visionaire often uses nontraditional materials and methods to express conceptual interpretations of themes, and spares no expense in giving artists and designers the freedom to push their visions. Because of this, the issues are very expensive to produce, which is why Visionaire also comes with such a hefty price tag. Each edition is truly a work of art.
The list of artists, designers, musicians, writers, and celebrities who have contributed to Visionaire is exhaustive, and includes the likes of Ai Weiwei, Kara Walker, Pipilotti Rist, Matthew Barney, and Yayoi Kusama, among hundreds of others.
The Decker Library is lucky enough to have 23 different issues of Visionaire, all of which are available for viewing by MICA community members in the library. This exhibit consists of some of the more eye-catching and innovative issues in the collection, including Visionaire 39: Play, which consists of 16 flip-books featuring short films by the likes of Pedro Almodóva, Darren Aronofsky, Wong Kar Wai, Spike Jonze, and Tony Oursler; Visionaire 42: Scent, which consists of 21 experimental perfumes accompanied by a volume of 21 images; and Visionaire 53: Sound, which consists of a portable record player accompanied by 5 records of 120 original one minute music and sound pieces by musicians including David Byrne, Courtney Love, Cat Power, Laurie Anderson, Antony & the Johnsons, Sonic Youth, Malcolm McLaren, Andrew WK, Danger Mouse, and Yoko Ono.
The ground-breaking publication has many fans, and David Bowie once said of the publication: "The alternative small run publication has often dazzled, always relentlessly focused on changing the way we look at the printed page. Looking haughtily over its shoulder to fleur's flair, Visionaire rolls up its sleeves, cups its hands to its mouth, flexes it muscles... Oh, I could go on all day... And whispers, "The eyes have it.”