@Hometown Journal and the persistance of printed words

The irony of life.

As we were working on the design for this interview, the blackout came: Portugal and Spain went dark. We saw ourselves reaching for their first edition and read it again, slower this time, with nowhere else to be.

@MOCHIS The independent print industry is often described as a labor of love, but love alone doesn’t pay the printer’s invoice. What have been the greatest challenges in sustaining a physical magazine in an era that favors digital accessibility? And what keeps you committed to this format despite these hurdles?

@HJ Thanks for this invitation to talk about what we love to do. For us everything we do in our lives should be done with love, curiosity and passion. And I would hope this would create a ripple effect and inspire others to change something about their “labor”. Obviously, we won't get rich doing what we are doing, but we are just doing what feels true to us at this moment. We believe in the magic of the written word, the photograph that you can touch and the smell of a book.

One day, when everything

stops and the internet dies,

what is left?

@Roselle Knaus

That's why we believe so much in keeping print alive. We want to share the beautiful conversations that we have with artists because it is what has inspired humanity since day one. 

It honestly has been a difficult way until today, and it is not getting easier. We rely on enthusiasts like you to keep this publication alive. With our new issue, we are currently collecting pre-orders to be able to print it. Because we can’t do it without any of you. 

A magazine or book can be passed along after you've read it. It can inspire you, and it can inspire many others. Some things might resonate, some won't, but it will stay – paper never forgets. We won't change the world, but we can do our best to make it slightly more humane.

@MOCHIS Hometown Journal, in our view, feels like an anthology that beckons for revisitation. Do you also perceive it as a living archive?

@HJ Beautiful question. This is surely a big dream of us, that Hometown Journal becomes something that is alive, if it is not alive already.

The physical magazine is one thing that will stay. It might, other than our own ephemerality, survive us. It will always be there until all archives of the world burn down and the pages fall to dust. That's the beauty of the analog, printing words onto paper; this posting here might disappear much sooner.

And people will always need a screen or device to view it. We also love the idea of a community that constantly inspires each other and thus creates movement, change and new experiences that go beyond just what we are able to curate or put out into the world.

We like to see Hometown Journal as a drop of water that creates a ripple that moves outward and creates waves on the way. Others can admire the beauty of the wave or even take a board and ride it. Both experiences might lead to something new, which is in the hands of the universe. 

@MOCHIS In an era where speed and convenience often take precedence over thoughtful creation, Hometown Journal insists on being touched, weighed and felt.

The way you construct each issue, through careful layering of paper stocks and finishes, feels deeply intentional. In a landscape where such attention to detail is rare, how do you approach these choices, and do you see them as an extension of the stories being told?

@HJ Exactly, the choice of material, the printing and binding techniques you find in our magazines are an extension of the art you see inside.

Because, why wouldn't or

rather shouldn't we take everything

that the craft of printing has to offer and

make a product that is worthwhile

looking at?

We often hear that this is exactly what readers love about our magazine and that it clearly stands out for them. We are aware of the fact that not everyone will be able to appreciate or see the effort we put into the project, and also the—at first sight—high price will not resonate with all people, but we believe that it will fall into the right hands.

And we also like the idea, that a magazine can be passed on to others, friends, and be really used. The true beauty of a book also comes out after a time of reading in it. It is our goal, to share stories that slow you down, and create a moment of rest within the ever-increasing speed of this world.

@MOCHIS Your work suggests a deep, almost existential curiosity: about home, creative integrity and the role of artists in shaping the world. In what ways does Hometown Journal  reflect your own evolving questions, doubts and discoveries? Do you see it as a personal manifesto, a collective experiment or something else entirely? 

@HJ Of course, we are individuals with our own life experiences, our own egos, shadow parts and everything else that comes along with playing this game called life.

However, we try not to be just me

or just you, the hope is that Hometown Journal

becomes all of us and has

its own language.

A language that is universal and understood by everyone, no matter where you're from and what you identify with. If there is a curation, then it comes from the notion of being approachable, kind and humble. We don't want to keep on promoting works or world views that produce hate or suffering. If there is something we can do, then it is to liberate people, to find their own native creativity and so become more fulfilled human beings. It was our naive curiosity that started this, we hope it inspires others to ask questions.

@MOCHIS As artists who engage with other creatives, you’ve embraced the complexity of collaborative work. How do you balance your artistic identity with the responsibility of curating others' voices?

@HJ I would say being artists or creatives ourselves is a big amplifier in gathering an understanding of the creative process in general. Working in the film industry for almost 10 years has helped us to reach a basic idea of what all art forms share.

It all starts with an idea, the idea gets translated into a medium, and the medium gets processed in an almost alchemical way. You work for so long on your film, writing, sculpture or photograph until you think it's perfect, or close to perfect. Then, you might share it with the world, which is where our platform comes into play.

However, we try not to impose our ideals onto other artists when we do interviews or curate work. We want their work to speak for them, which we believe is the most honest and authentic way. Our stories always start with the human, and we want to lend them our platform.

See how you can support them at hometownjournal.eu