Neutral Colors #7
257 x 182 mm, 276 pages
Japan (English and Japanese language)
Annual
First published in 2020
Editorial publisher: Naonori Katoh
Art director: Daisuke Kano
Initially a print and bookbinding workshop, Neutral Colours is now supplemented with an annual independent magazine with a focus on handcraft. Expect a blend of thoughtful photography and moving, global stories presented on a mix of four-colour and risograph printing on multiple paper stocks.
This seventh issue is titled ‘Health’, and sees editor Naonori Katoh pondering his own wellness as he hits his 50th year—‘It is a matter that concerns us all,’ he notes. This issue traces a series of small, personal reflections on health and healthcare, including: soaking in wild hot springs on Sumatra; a look at politics and healthcare; thoughts on addiction; and meditation in the Isan region of Thailand. Many of the stories use Japanese language, but the magazine is a beautiful piece of design and printing that makes it a visual inspiration regardless of written language.