It has been a few years since we worked on Issue 3 and so it has been nice to read back and reflect on what was, at the time, a big step for us in how we produce a magazine. It was the first time we had put out an open call for submissions and it is clear to see in the variety of the content how beneficial an open call is if you are a magazine with an internationalist perspective. We would have never been able to hear about ravines in Guatemala, shrines in Italy or spoken word in São Paolo without the open call.
In addition to the international stories, it was nice to remind ourselves how British the content was too. We went to Jaywick, Nottingham, Accrington, Enfield and Elephant and Castle. The neighbourhoods and communities we spoke with in these places do not regularly find themselves in the pages of an independent print magazine about the built environment. Their inclusion is a testament to our commitment to documenting the experiences of alternative voices and narratives, and an important reminder that there are plenty of these stories to highlight in contemporary Britain.
The photo essays are another highlight of the issue. In addition to the photos of Jaywick and Elephant & Castle, the work of Jameson in Calais, Louis in Cuba, Patrick in Hong Kong and Ivan in London’s estates, illustrate exactly the power and beauty that comes when you pair photography with text.
We still have an enduring soft spot for Nico’s piece on scent and gentrification. It is probably one of the best articles we’ve published. Both in terms of its writing, theme and originality, it is a model piece and one which really set the bar in the kind of work we wanted to be known for. The same could be said for the commissioned series on trash. We are interested in creating linkages between stories around the world as they are often indicative of wider, systematic currents. The way in which city authorities around the world are increasingly failing to live up to their basic municipal responsibilities (collecting the trash, for example) should be understood in a global context (erosion of welfare provision and corporatisation of urban governance). Who knew trash could say so much about the world we live in!
Fortunately for us, unfortunately for you, the issue is now sold out. However, it is now available as a free downloadable PDF.