From 2016 to 2026
4Columns was an online magazine of arts criticism in publication from September 23, 2016 to June 26, 2026. Funded by a private foundation, the project was established with a budget to cover ten years and was conceived as a finite endeavor.
4Columns was created to support criticism as a literary genre, one that—following Baudelaire’s dictum—“should be partial, passionate, and political, that is to say, written from an exclusive point of view that opens up the widest horizons.” Every Friday the magazine released a new issue composed of four thoughtfully curated reviews, each written with a distinct voice and perspective. Together, these “columns” offered a complex and compelling view of contemporary culture, while functioning as literary pieces in their own right.
During its run, 4Columns witnessed political upheaval, widespread protests, a worldwide pandemic, and more. It never stopped publishing throughout, and our archive remains online for your perusal, a time capsule of the shifting cultural landscape of the years 2016 to 2026.