How does a seemingly simple idea take shape and become a magazine described in The New York Times as “a thing of lavish, eccentric beauty?”

Esopus helped realize the visions of artists such as Jenny Holzer, Kerry James Marshall, and Marilyn Minter. On May 8, 2024, Megan Carey, the Colby College Museum of Art’s Barbara Alfond Director of Exhibitions and Publications; Chris Young, the magazine’s printer; and I discussed the the process behind creating an object that continually pushed the boundaries of what was possible in the realm of print publishing. This program offered a behind-the-scenes, anecdote-filled look inside the many steps required for—and technical challenges encountered during—the creative process.

An audience Q&A and celebratory reception followed the discussion, which was the closing event related to the exhibition A Lot More Inside: Esopus Magazine.