Motor gives dance a home in print
Our final subscription delivery of 2013 was Motor dance journal, and last week editors Isabelle Bucklow and Hannah Woods joined me for a conversation about the project so far. It was always intended to run for just three issues, and I was really interested to hear them speaking about that structure – I’d always assumed that they might have done it as a sort of reassurance, knowing they would only have to make three and then be done. But while that did figure in the conversation, they also spoke about the anxiety of stating upfront that they were going to make not one but three issues of their totally untested magazine.
The issues are themed, and began with ‘Solo’, before progressing to ‘Duet’, which we delivered to our subscribers, and the final one will be ‘Group’. They mentioned that the three-issue structure has helped to keep the quality of editorial as high as possible – they know that already the next issue will be their last, and they’ve both committed to making this extremely limited publication as great as it can be while it lasts.
And while Motor will cease to exist as a magazine beyond issue three, it has already spawned a series of other iterations, with Isabelle and Hannah taking part in two residencies in the first part of this year, and organising an exhibition at San Mei Gallery this summer. It’s great to see their editorial vision expanding out beyond the confines of the magazine, and of course I’m already looking forward to seeing what the ‘Group’ issue will bring.
