Magazine of the week: Hole & Corner #1
Hole & Corner is a new British magazine celebrating craftsmanship, reflecting the growing interest in the handmade as traditional techniques are rediscovered and re-evaluated.
The hefty 146-page launch issue is a beautifully compiled collection of stories from around the UK. Experienced creative director Sam Walton is in charge, and the visuals are stunning throughout – another magazine proving you can reproduce photography well on uncoated paper. With the likes of Philip Sinden and Josh McKinley taking the pictures you can’t go wrong.
Craft and craftmanship are a part of many independent magazines today, from those celebrating illustration and other handmade arts (Wrap, Flamingo) to the more general titles that include craft as a part of their make-up and aesthetic (Kinfolk, Inventory, Cereal). But none are so tightly focused on the subject as Hole & Corner, with its stonemasons, shoemakers, millers and artists. There’s a strong mix of subjects, writing styles and formats that create a satisfying pace through the pages and add up to a great launch issue.
Other magazines may be more notable for their flambouyant graphics but Hole & Corner feels appropriately old-school, with great care and attention paid to the design but also a confidence that the content it is presenting is strong in its own right and doesn’t need over-dressing. The design has a looseness that allows for good use of white space without becoming over-stylised.
In short, Hole & Corner arrives as a fully-fledged magazine with great visuals and diverse stories that reflect the old and new together. Highly recommended.
This magazine is now available from the magCulture shop.