An interdisciplinary journal
SOAP, as random of a name as a magazine, is an amassment of stories; a collection and depiction of friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends who all visualise, compose, and realise their ideas. Be it through photography, design, writing, or anything that allows one to express oneself, the end result is the outcome of something that binds all these disciplines, or rather, the human way of dealing with life, together - somewhere, deep in the night or far too early in the morning, it all started with a thought…
Soap is a slippy, slimy ‘thing’… You see, for us, it represents an idea ‘as such’, how it floats through from one hand to another, how it is washed and re-washed until, by magic or not, it gets things done. Soap is the connecting matter in the chaos, it is what simultaneously binds and separates ideas.
SOAP magazine focuses on the dynamic and ever-changing nature of contemporary culture. It highlights how different cultures increasingly intersect through travel and online interactions. This blending of cultures often leads to unexpected collaborations that connect and map out the global artistic landscape. At SOAP, traditional boundaries between contemporary art and fashion become fluid. Instead of being tied to specific locations, these domains merge within the magazine, offering fresh perspectives on creative works. This fusion creates a distinctive and playful concept, turning conventional ideas about art and fashion on their head.
It is nothing and everything at the same time; it is a magazine in conversation about the creative processes that are behind those who... create.
ISSUE 1: NOVEMBER 2023
UNLABELED
Our first (online!) issue - ‘Unlabeled’ - looks at people who function on their own terms, without the need for a label. Individuals who work around ideas that do not fit neatly into one box. With the intention to showcase the thought processes behind these unique creations, we bring together artists, designers, photographers and others to demonstrate what these creatives have put their energy towards and what we believe should be shared.
Their brands and creations are not rooted in one specific value, instead they celebrate aesthetics and play more generally.
It doesn’t mean there is no direction to their work; these creatives would just rather let their work speak for itself and do not feel the need to overexplain. Thoughts on sustainability and its inevitable integration, inclusion, acceptance are all incorporated into their work seamlessly; it’s self-explanatory. At this time, most brands internalise such values and work in line with them. What “Unlabeled” looks to celebrate the most is visual pleasure, binding aesthetic, and unique creative expression.
ISSUE 2: NOVEMBER 2024
AESTHETICS
Our brains can’t help but create patterns and predict outcomes; throughout our lives, we absorb and filter information from all kinds of sources. Everything can be seemingly irrelevant until it isn’t, until it suddenly makes sense. And once we start to notice concepts such as beauty and its emotional appeal, we’re bound to find it everywhere — from odd objects in the streets to the colours and shapes in the dusk sky. Science might label these tendencies as biases, but for some, these inclinations shape their entire worldview, forming the basis of their personal aesthetics.
SOAP #2 presents the shape-shifting and ever-evolving concept of “Aesthetics” and its varied interpretations on a transnational scale. With contributions from Norway, France, Brazil, China, Belgium, and the UK, issue #2 explores how diverse cultural backgrounds and individual experiences converge and juxtapose to redefine aesthetics, offering a multifaceted view of what is beautiful that transcends borders.
Each edition of SOAP revolves around a central theme, with creatives contributing their unique perspectives through various media, projects and storytelling. SOAP reflects its malleability, changing form with each issue, moving from one set of hands to another to engage new audiences and foster dynamic contributions. Issue #2 in particular follows the subtle influence of cross-cultural interactions, with our contributions revolving around movement from cities like Buenos Aires, Paris and Vilnius, to different cultural realms of Tibau, Yiwu and Brussels.
There is no single binding perspective for the artists featured in this issue; however, there is a shared aim to curate their niche topics through a set of guiding principles—namely, their own unique aesthetics.
ISSUE 3: MAY 2025
CORNER SHOP
With SOAP No. 3, we look to the often overlooked—the corner shop. This universal entity sits quietly on the periphery, tucked into the city’s folds, easy to ignore but impossible to live without. The very name suggests something small, convenient, and out of sight—there when needed, out of mind when not. But the spätis, bodegas, superettes, and delis of the world are more than just late-night snack stops or last-minute lifesavers. They’ve become woven into the fabric of urban life, holding more value than we often give them credit for. In their own way, they help keep the city—and us—moving forward.
Corner shops are an amalgam of cultures, hosted by people who come from all walks of life,
and visited by such. More than a mere convenience store, the neighbourhood corner shop doubles as a market, a pharmacy, a tobacconist, a post office, and at times, a social hub. These small spaces, open 24/7, provide consolation when you need it most and watch countless negotiations unfold: between customer and cashier, between necessity and impulse, at times, between you and yourself. It’s a comforting and constant presence in the restless, ever-changing city…
Nobody asked, but we delivered! SOAP’s third issue—corner shop—takes you on a world tour through these often-forgotten spaces. From fictional sketches of London’s corner shop clientele to a reimagining of the Parisian streets as boutique-like enclaves, we’re mapping the many roles of the Greek peripteros and dedicating odes to Japanese konbinis. The corner shop evokes heartbreak and consolation on Valentine’s Day, homesickness eased by the familiar shelves of a Polish sklep, and a deep dive into the hidden processes keeping its goods ‘alive’.
So we invite you to dive into this issue with an open heart and a newfound appreciation for your own local convenience store. And when inspiration runs dry, walk the aisles—travel the world through the international delicacies, remedies, and indulgences around each corner. Let the clash of Lebanese pickled veggies in pastel-coloured jugs and vibrant Barilla sauce jars inject colour into the grey monotony of city life. May our contributors' pieces—what they seek and take from their own 'magasin du coin'—offer a sense of familiarity and comfort that pulls you to rediscover your own local, dusty corner shop once more.
____________________________________________________________
Rasuolė Šukaitytė (@rasuolesukaityte) & Luiza Kohtanena (@lu111za_) - creators
Vanessa Torpey (@vanessaktorpey) - editor
Hélidie Tartière (@helidietartiere) - graphic design
Austėja Bukauskytė (@austtr) - cover & online visual identity
Gabija Skaudickaitė (@gabiskau) - logo
SOAP, as random of a name as a magazine, is an amassment of stories; a collection and depiction of friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends who all visualise, compose, and realise their ideas. Be it through photography, design, writing, or anything that allows one to express oneself, the end result is the outcome of something that binds all these disciplines, or rather, the human way of dealing with life, together - somewhere, deep in the night or far too early in the morning, it all started with a thought…
Soap is a slippy, slimy ‘thing’… You see, for us, it represents an idea ‘as such’, how it floats through from one hand to another, how it is washed and re-washed until, by magic or not, it gets things done. Soap is the connecting matter in the chaos, it is what simultaneously binds and separates ideas.
SOAP magazine focuses on the dynamic and ever-changing nature of contemporary culture. It highlights how different cultures increasingly intersect through travel and online interactions. This blending of cultures often leads to unexpected collaborations that connect and map out the global artistic landscape. At SOAP, traditional boundaries between contemporary art and fashion become fluid. Instead of being tied to specific locations, these domains merge within the magazine, offering fresh perspectives on creative works. This fusion creates a distinctive and playful concept, turning conventional ideas about art and fashion on their head.
It is nothing and everything at the same time; it is a magazine in conversation about the creative processes that are behind those who... create.
ISSUE 1: NOVEMBER 2023
UNLABELED
Our first (online!) issue - ‘Unlabeled’ - looks at people who function on their own terms, without the need for a label. Individuals who work around ideas that do not fit neatly into one box. With the intention to showcase the thought processes behind these unique creations, we bring together artists, designers, photographers and others to demonstrate what these creatives have put their energy towards and what we believe should be shared.
Their brands and creations are not rooted in one specific value, instead they celebrate aesthetics and play more generally.
It doesn’t mean there is no direction to their work; these creatives would just rather let their work speak for itself and do not feel the need to overexplain. Thoughts on sustainability and its inevitable integration, inclusion, acceptance are all incorporated into their work seamlessly; it’s self-explanatory. At this time, most brands internalise such values and work in line with them. What “Unlabeled” looks to celebrate the most is visual pleasure, binding aesthetic, and unique creative expression.
ISSUE 2: NOVEMBER 2024
AESTHETICS
Our brains can’t help but create patterns and predict outcomes; throughout our lives, we absorb and filter information from all kinds of sources. Everything can be seemingly irrelevant until it isn’t, until it suddenly makes sense. And once we start to notice concepts such as beauty and its emotional appeal, we’re bound to find it everywhere — from odd objects in the streets to the colours and shapes in the dusk sky. Science might label these tendencies as biases, but for some, these inclinations shape their entire worldview, forming the basis of their personal aesthetics.
SOAP #2 presents the shape-shifting and ever-evolving concept of “Aesthetics” and its varied interpretations on a transnational scale. With contributions from Norway, France, Brazil, China, Belgium, and the UK, issue #2 explores how diverse cultural backgrounds and individual experiences converge and juxtapose to redefine aesthetics, offering a multifaceted view of what is beautiful that transcends borders.
Each edition of SOAP revolves around a central theme, with creatives contributing their unique perspectives through various media, projects and storytelling. SOAP reflects its malleability, changing form with each issue, moving from one set of hands to another to engage new audiences and foster dynamic contributions. Issue #2 in particular follows the subtle influence of cross-cultural interactions, with our contributions revolving around movement from cities like Buenos Aires, Paris and Vilnius, to different cultural realms of Tibau, Yiwu and Brussels.
There is no single binding perspective for the artists featured in this issue; however, there is a shared aim to curate their niche topics through a set of guiding principles—namely, their own unique aesthetics.
ISSUE 3: MAY 2025
CORNER SHOP
With SOAP No. 3, we look to the often overlooked—the corner shop. This universal entity sits quietly on the periphery, tucked into the city’s folds, easy to ignore but impossible to live without. The very name suggests something small, convenient, and out of sight—there when needed, out of mind when not. But the spätis, bodegas, superettes, and delis of the world are more than just late-night snack stops or last-minute lifesavers. They’ve become woven into the fabric of urban life, holding more value than we often give them credit for. In their own way, they help keep the city—and us—moving forward.
Corner shops are an amalgam of cultures, hosted by people who come from all walks of life,
and visited by such. More than a mere convenience store, the neighbourhood corner shop doubles as a market, a pharmacy, a tobacconist, a post office, and at times, a social hub. These small spaces, open 24/7, provide consolation when you need it most and watch countless negotiations unfold: between customer and cashier, between necessity and impulse, at times, between you and yourself. It’s a comforting and constant presence in the restless, ever-changing city…
Nobody asked, but we delivered! SOAP’s third issue—corner shop—takes you on a world tour through these often-forgotten spaces. From fictional sketches of London’s corner shop clientele to a reimagining of the Parisian streets as boutique-like enclaves, we’re mapping the many roles of the Greek peripteros and dedicating odes to Japanese konbinis. The corner shop evokes heartbreak and consolation on Valentine’s Day, homesickness eased by the familiar shelves of a Polish sklep, and a deep dive into the hidden processes keeping its goods ‘alive’.
So we invite you to dive into this issue with an open heart and a newfound appreciation for your own local convenience store. And when inspiration runs dry, walk the aisles—travel the world through the international delicacies, remedies, and indulgences around each corner. Let the clash of Lebanese pickled veggies in pastel-coloured jugs and vibrant Barilla sauce jars inject colour into the grey monotony of city life. May our contributors' pieces—what they seek and take from their own 'magasin du coin'—offer a sense of familiarity and comfort that pulls you to rediscover your own local, dusty corner shop once more.
____________________________________________________________
Rasuolė Šukaitytė (@rasuolesukaityte) & Luiza Kohtanena (@lu111za_) - creators
Vanessa Torpey (@vanessaktorpey) - editor
Hélidie Tartière (@helidietartiere) - graphic design
Austėja Bukauskytė (@austtr) - cover & online visual identity
Gabija Skaudickaitė (@gabiskau) - logo
MANY THANKS TO THE
ISSUE 3 CONTRIBUTORS
MANY THANKS TO THE
ISSUE 2 CONTRIBUTORS
KOKO FIGURA
ANNIE
VANESSA TORPEY
YVES BARTLETT & DA-JIONG DONG
MANY THANKS TO THE
ISSUE 1 CONTRIBUTORS
born out of post-sunday blues sugar hiccups and getting the memo
2024
2024