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50-second read, or the time it takes to consider doing a cartwheel.

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    It's time to...

    grow deep roots
    imagine past the stars

     

    Issue 11

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    LETTER     FROM THE EDITORS

     

    In this issue, we invited artists to deepen and expand our understanding of worldbuilding: What materials and languages do they use in that endeavor and why? What world are they after and how are they trying to get there?

    Whether working in sound, animation, fashion design, literature, architecture, or ephemeral installation, each contributor in To Build Beyond constructs from a place of hope and aspiration. They see both the pain and potential of this present moment on Earth and offer moments of respite, repair, and release through their practices. From them we learn to embrace the local: our bodies, our geographies, our communities. From these sources of knowledge, we have the resources to sustain ourselves in the long run, if we only attune to them more readily.

    In orbit with you,

    Jessica Ferrer and Kate Blair

     

    A note on the art direction in this issue:

    If fictional worldbuilding follows the structure of a biome — a self-contained ecological space with elements like atmosphere, environment, cultural ideas, and narrative — what layer of magic would you incorporate? Consider what sort of cosmic or metaphysical system would guide the development of this magical layer. This “inner celestial hemisphere” might inspire the creation of new terms, symbols, or a fresh vocabulary for this world.

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