The Soul Never Dies: On Parkett’s Life After Death

The article explores the final issue and aftermath of Parkett, a Swiss art magazine published by Bice Curiger, Jacqueline Burckhardt, and Dieter von Graffenried from 1984 to 2017. By analysing the language, projects, thoughts, and ideas in that magazine’s last communications and final edition, the study seeks to understand how the act of ceasing publication allows the art magazine, considered more broadly, to reconnect with its essence: an essence embodied by its artists, contributors, writers, and collaborators. This revitalization is then considered as a catalyst for a new phase of existence guided by the magazine’s intrinsic qualities or ‘soul’. The article aims to shed light on these aspects and discuss the potential longevity of the magazine’s psyche, challenging the notion of magazines as ephemeral despite their physical attributes as a form of print media. The central inquiry revolves around whether the magazine can transcend its own cessation, exploring the feasibility of such continuity and contemplating potential avenues for its realization.