Afterall Journal Issue 12 explores artistic solitude and societal collapse post-Katrina

Afterall Journal Issue 12 was conceived in late January 2005 at the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, where editor Thomas Lawson and the editorial group debated contemporary art's relevance. The issue centers on the theme of the lonely artist, exemplified by Patrick Caulfield, whose work offers a critique of cubism through depictions of empty restaurants. Other featured artists include T.J. Wilcox, with his short films; Cathy Wilkes, with multi-layered installations; Trisha Donnelly, with melancholy performances; and Boris Mikhailov, with photographs addressing truth. The editorial process was influenced by Hurricane Katrina's devastation of New Orleans in August 2005, which reframed the issue's focus on societal collapse and government failure. The Louisiana Superdome, designed by Nathaniel Curtis and Arthur Q. Davis in the early 1970s, became a symbol of this crisis, housing evacuees after its roof was damaged. The issue also includes Magali Arriola's discussion of contemporary ruins and references to George W. Bush's policies, with Lawson noting how real-life tragedy altered artistic perspectives. The foreword was published on September 28, 2005, and references Jim Jarmusch's film Broken Flowers and writer Andrei Codrescu's comments in The New York Times.