#13 BEAST

Only 19 years had to pass before the legendary BEAST PDF Magazine was joined by another, actually final issue, issue #13 (of 12). This time in printed form in a limited edition.

We remember, every issue of BEAST had a theme. The theme of #13 is, simply put, the story that BEAST and the world have changed. The “anti-design” of BEAST is not actually design, but has elevated itself to art, and thus is no longer “anti”. It is “just” art. So it is no longer considered disturbing or a “critical opinion” because the world and the viewers and BEAST have evolved.

#13 is a visual musical with a main character and an antagonist who visually “sing” their way through the book. In #13 this is supposed to be BEAST and HANS as the antagonist. HANS is a recurring character through BEAST 01-12. He is a (fake) prototypical designer who works at a large advertising agency and hated my typographic/trash/grunge style design. In #13 HANS is “played” by Aaron Beebe

#13 is a visual dialogue between BEAST and HANS in the form of real songs. I will probably never officially publish the original song list and leave it to others, if anyone even bothers to find out which songs it is.

The Story (do you still read this?):
BEAST tells of the past, and how great the BEAST was. It must determine, however fast, that it has now the same attitude, as at that time HANS, which held itself for the best commercial designer and a top advertiser. But HANS has become just as good (artistically) as BEAST, and BEAST has perfected itself over time to the point where the raw and awkward of the past has become a routine and conforming style – the style and attitude from back then doesn't matter anymore. BEAST realizes that BEAST and HANS are very much alike (maybe they were never different, because they are exactly the same person). The dialogue between HANS and BEAST is that HANS tries to make BEAST understand that nobody needs it anymore, neither as criticism nor as inspiration(?). Everyone can criticize unfiltered nowadays and BEAST would not be noticed here. 

“In the beginning was the BEAST.”