A new exhibition in Paris is celebrating Index Magazine, the groundbreaking cultural publication that served as a defining voice of 1990s independent culture and helped establish many of today's most renowned photographers. The retrospective, running until September 14, 2025, at Cør Studio, examines the magazine's lasting impact on contemporary media and cultural discourse.
Index Magazine was launched in 1996 by artist Peter Halley, a pivotal figure in the Neo-Conceptualist movement, alongside curator Bob Nickas. Operating out of Halley's Chelsea studio, the publication was heavily influenced by Andy Warhol's Interview magazine and Halley's dissatisfaction with the existing art scene. "It was a wonderful, chaotic time in my life as an artist, but I thrived on it," Halley recalls. "I would be working on my paintings and people would come in and out to talk to our editorial staff. Sometimes I'd stop and join in, sometimes I'd keep working, barely aware of who was coming and going."
The magazine quickly established itself as a cultural bible anchored in 90s indie sentiment, running for nearly ten years and producing 51 issues before discontinuing in 2005. Its final issue featured Eugene Hütz of Gogol Bordello, photographed by Bruce LaBruce. The publication's legacy was further cemented with the 2014 Rizzoli book "Index A to Z: Art, Design, Fashion, Film and Music in the Indie Era," and an Instagram account launched in 2021 to share its digital archive.
The current retrospective, curated by Paris-based research and ideation firm Wahter Studio, functions as both a photography exhibition and research center. Visitors can explore a reading room featuring iconic conversations, including Björk's 2003 interview with Alexander McQueen and a Werner Herzog story by Doug Aitken from 2004. "Index made me realize that indie wasn't just about being small or alternative; it was about building a new framework for culture," explains Freddie Wahter, who heads the studio.
One of Index's most significant contributions was its role in launching the careers of photographers who would later become industry giants. Wolfgang Tillmans, Juergen Teller, and Mark Borthwick were among the early-career photographers who created what Halley describes as "a vérité-style for our photographic essays that was unique to magazines at the time." Tillmans, who shot the magazine's first six covers, was particularly instrumental in shaping the publication's visual language. "Even though Wolfgang is 15 years younger than I am, he will always be a hero to me," Halley says.
The magazine's approach to photography and interviews was notably unconventional for its time. Features were often conducted by friends of the subjects and typically occurred outside formulaic press schedules, allowing for genuine intimacy. "Peter would tell us how Wolfgang Tillmans shot Bianca Jagger last minute at the airport, or how Willem Dafoe ended up on the cover almost accidentally," Wahter notes. "These stories made the magazine come alive in a new way; you could feel the spontaneity and risk-taking that defined its DNA."
Wahter's team spent considerable time understanding the informal culture surrounding the magazine, including its release parties and office dynamics. "What struck us most was that Index wasn't just a publication, it was a community," he observes. This community aspect was central to the magazine's identity and success, creating a network of artists, photographers, and cultural figures who contributed to its distinctive voice.
Reflecting on the magazine's relevance in today's digital landscape, Halley acknowledges both opportunities and challenges facing independent media. "Social media provides almost infinite opportunities for indie statements – think of all the podcasts, Substacks, and TikTok videos," he reasons. "But I think the values Index represented are still relevant, and there is still a vital role for small magazines to play."
Halley emphasizes the continued importance of editorial decision-making in an age dominated by social media. "In the age of Instagram, the editorial decision-making inherent to magazines is important because it necessitates a level of choice and commitment that is largely absent from social media," he explains. While he remains optimistic about the future of print media, he acknowledges practical challenges: "I love magazines, and don't think printed material will disappear anytime soon, but printing costs money."
The retrospective serves as both a celebration of Index's historical significance and an examination of its ongoing influence on contemporary culture. According to Wahter, spending time with the magazine's archive revealed "how much of today's cultural landscape can be traced back to Index." The exhibition aims to reframe the publication "as a living part of our cultural lineage" rather than simply a historical artifact.
Index Magazine's impact extends beyond its immediate cultural contributions to its role in democratizing artistic expression and establishing new standards for authentic cultural journalism. The magazine's emphasis on spontaneity, community, and genuine artistic collaboration created a template that continues to influence independent publications today. As digital media continues to reshape communication landscapes, the retrospective offers an opportunity to examine how indie principles can persist and evolve in contemporary contexts.
