A retrospective exhibition during the recent Paris Design Week, dedicated to Index Magazine, stirred both nostalgia and hope among die-hard fans of print media. From 1996 to 2005, the publishing venture of artist Peter Halley and writer-curator Bob Nickas became the voice of New York’s avant-garde scene.
Its pages featured some of the biggest stars and creators of the era, photographed by the likes of Juergen Teller, Helmut Newton, and Hedi Slimane. In the April 2001 issue, Björk interviewed Alexander McQueen; in November 2003, screenwriter Justin Haythe spoke with Willem Dafoe. A 16-year-old Scarlett Johansson graced her first cover, talking about teenage life, captured by photographer Lita Harding, who flew to Arizona for the shoot. Activist Bianca Jagger was photographed checking in for a flight to India at JFK Airport, while Halley himself interviewed Isabella Rossellini in December 1999.
A Bold Vision That Shaped Indie Culture
The raw imagery and deeply personal interviews of Index set the tone for a wave of unconventional magazines that flourished briefly before being swept away by the digital revolution. From the dawn of the personal computer to the rise of social media, the world changed dramatically — yet two decades later, in an era dominated by screens, print still holds an appeal for a select audience. The tactile pleasure of paper remains.
As AnOther Magazine recently observed, “Gen Z is beginning to rediscover print.”
A Pop Experiment in Publishing
Launched at the height of indie culture in New York’s Nolita district, Index was fresh, pop, and visually daring — a living experience as much as a magazine. After its first black-and-white issues, it embraced color, with each feature carrying its own visual palette and typography. It didn’t just reflect culture — it designed it. Defining what it meant to be an independent artist, it proved that culture could be both written and visually constructed.
“We Had No Idea What We Were Doing — That Was the Secret”
Artist and co-founder Peter Halley recalls his decade-long publishing journey:
“The secret of our success was that we had no idea what we were doing or where we were going. When I lived in New Orleans in the ’70s, Interview Magazine was my lifeline. I’d rush to the newsstand for each new issue — Andy Warhol was the ultimate pop authority and our inspiration. At Index, the editors played a huge role. I brought in people from the art world. Even though the interviews seemed raw and unedited, there was a lot of work behind them to make them coherent.”
“Index wasn’t just a publication — we were a community in editorial overdrive. My favorite interview was between Bijou Phillips and Bruce LaBruce, because it was so extreme — she admits to talking under the influence of a supposedly ‘harmless’ drug. It was thrilling to shape material that could become a great issue. Even with low production costs, the magazine had enormous impact.”
A Legacy That Still Resonates
The 51st issue marked the end of Index’s run in 2005, leaving behind a rich archive and a timeless model for future media.
“Even in the age of Instagram, there’s still room for magazines,” says Bob Nickas. “I love them, and I don’t believe print will disappear anytime soon — though printing is expensive. Digital media has democratized communication, for better or worse.”
