by Danny Kopel , Summer 2011
Dear Reader,
The last few months, the short quarter since our relaunch this past spring, have been some of our most generative. Looking through the archive, I realize that the work we’ve published in this window of time has been some of our strongest, in large part due to the addition of new voices to our stable of contributors that has pumped new life force into the publication. Seeing new names alongside those of writers who have been with us since the beginning, our reliably sharp pack of scribes, exposes another aspect of Artwrit that had never occurred to me: a sense of history within the publication itself.
History has always been of concern to Artwrit in the way that art historical precedents are the bedrock of any discussion of contemporary work that appears in these pages. It realized recently, however, that in the process of honing this kind of historically-inclined critical breadth, we seem to have built the foundations of our own story as a project. There are generations of writers: founders, new blood and newer blood still. It goes without saying that you, the reader, are an integral part of this history whether you have been with us since Volume I went live in December 2009 or this is your first click of an item on the index. As witnesses to our constant growth and evolution, and by engaging in dialogue with us about the essays, the art and the ideas discussed here, you participate in our story.
Sitting down to write these letters every few months affords me the chance to trace our progress. That exercise results, always and without fail, in a great feeling of gratitude: for the stimulating writers we publish, a team that works tirelessly, a readership that is equal parts loyal and vocal. Here is our token of thanks, a new batch of essays that need no introduction. I urge you to read through our seventh quarterly, a refreshing dose to pull you through the last throes of summer in New York or wherever you and your laptop may be.
Best,
Daniel Kopel
Editor-in-Chief | Founder
Artwrit
Artwrit | Archive, 2009-2012 