Kasino A4
Melancholic, anarchic and pretty fantastic, Kasino A4 is made by a group of artists, writers and photographers who dominate the Finnish alternative cultural scene. A style magazine like no other, its challenging photography and often provocative subject matter are balanced by quality writing and the genuine excitement of ambitious, experimental creativity.
The Stack interview
Name
Jussi Puikkonen
Job title
Director of Photography
What is Kasino A4?
Kasino A4 is a bi-annual mostly black & white magazine that hails from Helsinki, Finland. The magazine has a touch of the Finnish melancholy, which we consider a strong point.
What makes it different to the rest?
Kasino A4 stands out from the rest with its simplicity. There are so many magazines with glossy covers and screaming headlines. We have no headlines and a single colour on the cover. The same goes to the content: simplify, simplify, simplify…
Who makes Kasino A4?
1. Us – meaning the core team of editor Jonathan Mander, art director Pekka Toivonen, producer Antti Routto and myself, Jussi Puikkonen. 2. The contributors – we have an amazing talent pool of exceptional contributors including people we have worked with for a while and emerging new talents. 3. The readers. For a relatively small publication we have a devoted and fanatic readership.
Who reads it?
We have never done an actual survey of the readership, but in general it is young urban creatively-oriented people.
Why did Kasino A4 start?
We had a good team and wanted do something together. A magazine felt like the most natural way to work together. We had done various projects together already, but Kasino A4 is the biggest so far. But even now we do other projects as a team as well.
Why do you work in magazines?
The love for print drives us. It is easy access media. It doesn’t necessarily include the same kind of elitist values as for example modern art. And still it is more or less permanent and real – thereby beating the internet.
Aside from the print magazine, what else are you involved in?
We also run “Kasino Creative Publishing”, which keeps us busy with different clients. Everybody also has their own projects in addition to the things we do together.
What would you change about Kasino A4 if you could?
Hmmm… Everything can be changed. But I guess we would double the print run.
Can you pick a favourite issue of Kasino A4?
Hard to say. I like the latest one a lot #9 but I also like #1-2. Both are nice.
Where do you see Kasino A4 in five years?
It’s going to be big! Maybe A3.
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