Vol 2 No 1 | Winter 2021

One of the most interesting parts of my job as editor of this publication is to try to find a theme that connects all of the works in the edition. Connections are always presenting themselves in individual branches of the corpus; finding a single theme that can be connected to every piece helps me see other patterns emerging that I might have otherwise missed. For example, in three different interviews in this edition (all on different branches), artists reported feeling like monsters during this pandemic because of all the isolation. That’s certainly not a coincidence— it speaks volumes about where we all are. If you’re feeling like a lonesome monster yourself, please know that you’re not alone. We’re all out here tangoing with the shadow in one way or another.

All of the works in this edition connect somehow with the tension of inside and outside. Literally looking into windows. Being out in the night where it feels dangerous. Feeling trapped. Considering sentient life outside our understanding. Communicating with loved ones beyond the veil. Using plant material to dye fabric. Finding the potential for omniscient power in the sock drawer.

As always, I am grateful to all of the participating artists for the opportunity to share some wonderful conversations, and to experience this amazing work. I am thrilled that we now get to share this incredible collection of work with you too.

This is a long winter, but we’re going to get through it together. Spring is just around the corner. And we always have art.

Stay present, stay safe, and stay awesome.

Lu Valena, Executive Director

Map of Works in This Issue

Bait/Switch is an interdisciplinary exquisite corpse project. Every work is a creative response to a piece made by another artist. The project is divided into three branches- cyan, magenta and yellow. This map/diagram shows how the works in this issue fit together, and what came before. You can see the entire corpus on our maps page.