A »wanderer between the worlds« of graphic design, Patrick Waterhouse's drawings, prints, photographs and art books - such as the recently published edition of Dante's »Inferno« (made together with Fabrica) - testify to his wide spectrum appeal. As editor-in-chief of COLORS, a monothematic magazine with six bilingual editions, he proposes ideas about content: a series of interconnected narrative structures published as COLORS survival guides.

Flashback. Two projects, four years, thousands of images - »From the Inside to the Outside«, a portrait of a government building in South Africa. Each window represents a different section of the building's environment and as a cornerstone, Dante's Inferno. Featured projects in which the handwriting of the designer can be recognised even before COLORS was to begin.

COLORS magazine sets its sights on a wide variety of narrative forms: In each issue, the magazine focuses on a single theme such as »Race,« in which racism is criticised with illustrations and photomontages and juxtaposed with utopian designs. COLORS is similar to visionary survival guides and, following the basic idea that 90% of our mobility depends on oil, the magazine addresses existing problems, using strong images and surprising moments, with cartoons and designs from puzzles to unusual narrative perspectives to illuminate difficult topics and possible visions of the future.

An example would be »How to build a toilet«, subtitled by Patrick Waterhouse as, »from shit to happiness« and spanning a wide arc including a report on the outbreak of cholera in Haiti, illustrated with photographs of soiled mattresses in a clinic. A report about the earthquake in Christchurch - with a rather unusual angle: the use of everyday objects such as garden chairs made of plastic, from which the residents built makeshift toilets. Infographics on the transmission and infection routes of cholera and other diseases that are caused by faecal bacteria complement the quirky and thoroughly researched stories. The complete COLORS Survival Guide also imparts the simple statistical fact that much of the world's population live without functional toilets - with fatal consequences for health and society.

»Looking at Art«, another edition, offers portraits of artists, telling the stories behind the art, for example, of those who caught a shark for Damien Hirst. Different voices have their say – and a surprising answer to the question, »What is art?« emerges from under a colourful turban. Hidden behind sunglasses, a male voice grumbles: »Art is business, sex and fashion!« Video sequences introduce yet another impressive edition of Patrick Waterhouse's COLORS. Black-and-white images illustrating statistical statements are condensed into a densely woven narrative, a skilful retelling of how the Arab Spring was triggered. Montages of Tahrir Square and aerial photographs show a before-after perspective graphically illustrating social change through the population and depopulation of the streets.

»The magazine is the centre, the core,« says Waterhouse. What surrounds this core, whether narrative or design, deserves respect as a print edition. COLORS rewards the reader with strong stories and a distinctive tactile experience.

Patrick Waterhouse im Netz: www.patrickwaterhouse.com