Between the pages of Polanski’s suburbia-themed sixth issue

Publication Polanski started off life in 2010 as a Tumblr filled with reblogged photographs featuring the kind of women who slink down the catwalk for Victoria’s Secret. So far, so predictable perhaps, but in the years since, NYC-based Art Director Irwin Tobias Matutina has raised Polanski from an endless scroll of lusty found photographs to a physical magazine with legit status.

Now six issues in, Irwin has taken an about turn from the traditionally “sexy” aesthetic which defined Polanksi’s output: the publication’s latest volume is based on suburbia. “The idea with Polanski was to never really define it,” Irwin tells It’s Nice That. “We try to evolve each issue so it takes us somewhere new. It’s looking at a publication like a body of work that all connects, but is always evolving.”

Of this issue’s suburban theme, Irwin explains: “it was out of instinct, maybe because of the political climate. Maybe because most creatives come from suburbia. We’re not really sure, it felt good at the time.”

When it came to choosing contributors for the issue, Irwin added “some contributors had existing work we loved, which we thought fit the theme. We were interested in how different creatives from different parts of the world interpreted this idea. We wanted the content to feel varied even though it had this underlining theme and the result was just that.” The contributors list contains a slew of impressive creatives, among them Celia Hempton, Chloe Wise, James Tolich, Jesse John Jenkins + Tallulah Harlec, Ryan Lowry, Brooke Olimpieri and Lope Serrano.

The issue’s cover was shot by Allyssa Heuze. “To us that was the type of direction we were looking for in the photography,” Irwin says. “It was taking something banal and putting a twist on it. The story Ryan Lowry shot was great as well, he captured his subject in a huge mansion in suburbia. He was neighbours with the owner as a kid.”