Editors’ Letter
Claire Hannon and Selina Moir-Wilson
We’re not sure where HARD came from. It’s been around (think SOPHIE stiletto nail My Year of Rest and Relaxation techwear metallic y2k tribal tattoo… Lol). It might be a defensive response to ~ongoing global catastrophe~ etc... Like, we’re aestheticising doom/decay/distress to gain some sense of control. Or maybe it’s just silly and sexy!
We’re really excited about the collaborations in this issue. Wen-Juenn Lee and Carly Stone wrote a poem inspired by the format of school grading matrices; Tyler Bain worked with his mum, Janet Bain, to make a short film about the zoo; and Messy Treats created an aphrodisiac recipe that Claire, Aubrielle Hvolboll and Swarmbrew Diabolica expanded into an audio experience.
There was also lots of fun experimentation. Niyanta Sharma and Angela Qin played around with bioplastics; Aries Gacutan created an interactive experience that meditates on the horrors of having a body; and Dolci combined hard soundscapes to make a mix that we HIGHLY RECOMMEND listening to while reading the issue!!
It’s been unexpectedly …(forgive us)... HARD to publish this issue. We’ve been on opposite sides of the world, communicating through glitchy video calls and a Slack workspace that !Hates! sending us notifications. As always, the editorial process was beautiful but a minefield, and the realities of timing meant that too many intriguing projects had to be left out of this issue. Also, coding is really hard when you have no idea how to do it. Thankfully it’s all worth it.
Thank you to all the contributors for trusting us with your work and wanting to put it in Layabout. You’re all epic. Thank you to anyone reading this. We hope you enjoy the ride!!! <3
We’re really excited about the collaborations in this issue. Wen-Juenn Lee and Carly Stone wrote a poem inspired by the format of school grading matrices; Tyler Bain worked with his mum, Janet Bain, to make a short film about the zoo; and Messy Treats created an aphrodisiac recipe that Claire, Aubrielle Hvolboll and Swarmbrew Diabolica expanded into an audio experience.
There was also lots of fun experimentation. Niyanta Sharma and Angela Qin played around with bioplastics; Aries Gacutan created an interactive experience that meditates on the horrors of having a body; and Dolci combined hard soundscapes to make a mix that we HIGHLY RECOMMEND listening to while reading the issue!!
It’s been unexpectedly …(forgive us)... HARD to publish this issue. We’ve been on opposite sides of the world, communicating through glitchy video calls and a Slack workspace that !Hates! sending us notifications. As always, the editorial process was beautiful but a minefield, and the realities of timing meant that too many intriguing projects had to be left out of this issue. Also, coding is really hard when you have no idea how to do it. Thankfully it’s all worth it.
Thank you to all the contributors for trusting us with your work and wanting to put it in Layabout. You’re all epic. Thank you to anyone reading this. We hope you enjoy the ride!!! <3
Selina Moir-Wilson writes, edits and draws pictures on unceded Wurundjeri land. They edit at Voiceworks and Layabout and are a participant in Express Media’s 2022 Toolkits: Graphic Narratives program. @th3mbofication / @pr1nce_snufkin
Claire Hannon is the founding editor of Layabout. She studies Creative Writing, Publishing and Editing, writes screenplays and sends emails. She anticipates a bright future in all three areas. @iwant.wordsaffirmation / @clrphnnn