The following excerpts are from the advertising solicitation I just
received for Metalsmith. Looks like SNAG may be listening?!
– Fresh design capturing wider attention
– Slightly smaller scale making our art journal more intimate
and object-like, in keeping with the work we show
– The new size will have the added perk of front row
placement on newsstands and in bookstores for patrons to
see
– New striking visuals
– Expanded editorial
– New department on the interface of studio jewelry and
fashion
The last point especially makes me hopeful. How strange to see the
word “fashion” in a Metasmith context.
How strange to see the word "fashion" in a Metasmith context. OK,
I know that the dropped "l" here was a slip of the finger, but it
got me thinking. What would a metasmith be?
Here’s part of the Wikipedia listing for the prefix “meta”: Meta
(fromGreek: “after”, “beyond”, “with”, “adjacent”), is a prefix used
in English in order to indicate a concept which is an abstraction
from another concept, used to complete or add to the latter. In
epistemology, the prefix meta- is used to mean about (its own
category). For example, metadata are data about data (who has
produced them, when, what format the data are in and so on). [snip]
Any subject can be said to have a meta-theory which is the
theoretical consideration of its meta-properties, such as its
foundations, methods, form and utility.
So maybe re-naming the magazine “metasmith” would cause it to much
more accurately describe the contents. Certainly much of the work
shown is about metalsmithing more than it is metalsmithing… I don’t
mean this to be too serious. The notion of a “metasmith” just kinda
grabbed my imagination
Well, it will be interesting to check out on the newstand (my
subcription ran out…). On close reading I didn’t see that they
heard any of the concerns expressed on Orchid and made changes. Like,
will it still be about metal? Fine craftsmanship? Time will tell.
I would like to clarify that the major redesign and editorial
additions for Metalsmith, including “In Fashion,” have been in the
works for quite a long time. All of your comments arose just last
month, in August, in response to the Exhibition in Print, and it’s
too soon for the board to have acted on them. I assure you that that
discussion is on the agenda of our upcoming board meeting in
October. I have no idea what direction that conversation will go
however I hope you will keep in mind that any changes take time.
Thank you for your note. And of course you’re right. Change takes
time. As a Metalsmith supporter, tho not current subscriber, I have
high hopes for Metalsmith. Thanks again for your post.