John Macfarlane appointed Interim Walrus Editor

THE WALRUS FOUNDATION
July 2, 2008, Toronto

The Walrus Foundation board of directors and publisher/executive director Shelley Ambrose are pleased to announce today that John Macfarlane has agreed to work with The Walrus magazine as part-time editor and co-publisher during the period of transition brought about by the recent resignation of editor Ken Alexander.

Mr. Macfarlane recently stepped down after 15 years as editor of Toronto Life to pursue a career as a corporate director. Toronto Life was this year's Magazine of the Year at the National Magazine Awards. Mr. Macfarlane has also worked at many other Canadian publications, including a seven-year stint as publisher of Saturday Night magazine.

"We are delighted John has agreed to help us manage this change," says Ms. Ambrose, "His experience and expertise in magazine editing and publishing is unparalleled."

"John's stepping forward at this time reflects his life-long commitment to critical writing and journalism," says Allan Gregg, chair of The Walrus Foundation board of directors. "I can think of no one who is more qualified to assist us as we strive to make The Walrus a permanent part of the Canadian cultural landscape."

"It would have been difficult for me to turn my back on The Walrus in a time of need," says Mr. Macfarlane, who will continue to serve as a member of the advisory board of St. Joseph Communications (which owns Toronto Life), and who was recently elected chairman of the board of the Canadian Journalism Foundation. "Canada needs and deserves a magazine with its literary and intellectual aspirations. It's been remarkably successful in its short lifetime. I'm simply lending a hand until we find an editor who can make it even moreso."

Last week, creative director Antonio De Luca announced to staff that, after five years, he was moving on from The Walrus to explore other creative outlets. "It has been a rich experience," says Mr. De Luca. "We have all contributed as a whole to making this magazine important and award-winning. My departure has nothing to do with anything other than my need to fulfill other creative parts that will only help me aspire to reaching my own human potential. I leave The Walrus knowing there are excellent people here to continue the incredible work we have done thus far."

"For five years I have worked directly with Antonio De Luca," says former editor Ken Alexander. "It has been a remarkable learning experience and my singular pleasure. Antonio's special insight was to realize that for The Walrus strictly representational imagery (from illustrations to photography) would fail to help lift narratives off the page; his special talent was to get artistic contributors to develop a deep understanding of the textual material, and then to produce a parallel visual narrative, a story in pictures that emboldened, enhanced, and made memorable the reading experience. For very good reason, artists love working with Antonio. He stretches them, forcing them to arrive at end products that are purposeful, beautiful, and intellectually vigorous. Antonio will be missed."

"Antonio has been with The Walrus since its inception," says publisher Shelley Ambrose. "Under his watchful eye, the magazine has won a wide array of art and design awards, the organization has trained two dozen art interns who have gone on to magazine jobs around the country, in the U.S. and abroad, and he has given The Walrus a distinctive look and feel. We'd like to thank Antonio for his dedication and wish him well in all of his future endeavours."

The Walrus is published by the charitable, non-profit Walrus Foundation and relies on readers, advertisers, foundations, private and public sector support for its survival. Donations are tax deductible. Visit walrusmagazine.com.
— July 02, 2008 11:28 EST