Whisk Journal

The first issue of Whisk, is all about distraction as a state of joy and wonder. In a climate of digital overload and hyper productivity, distraction is often framed as a homogenous force that looms over our ability to get stuff done and engage in meaningful action. Slogans about mending broken attention spans, turning off our phones, and pledging for presence are everywhere. But what is at stake if we limit our perception of distraction to its negative qualities? 'Joys of Distraction' is an invitation to go beyond the hot takes and rediscover distraction as a messy and exhilarating facet of life and creative process.

Far from denying distraction’s complicated relationship with technology and capitalism, the content looks to writers, poets, and visual artists for forgotten nuances and personal interpretations. The emerging picture is a vibrant tapestry. It is not an either/or picture. The very nature of distraction is personal and undefinable and capturing it in a uniform way is therefore impossible. Likewise, the stories, essays, and poems contained in this volume are not about embracing distraction as a solution to the enormity of the issues we may face, as drifting and daydreaming can be luxuries when facing real-world problems. Rather, we ask: How can following a different thought path in our endeavors—whether personal or creative—encourage us to question the structures in which we may find ourselves?

Guided by this sentiment, and unfolding over 130 pages, the contributions span different—sometimes opposite—points of view. You’ll find:

• A guide to daydreaming in public;
• a visual essay about walking as a performative artistic practice;
• an insider’s view on distraction and masturbation;
• a three-way conversation about distraction in the artist studio;
• a biting essay on the guilty pleasures of celebrity gossip;
• a personal reflection challenging the pathologization of distraction;
• and so much more!

Printed in a variety of papers, Whisk is a tactile object to savor at your own pace. We want to be a frank, provocative read for curious people and tireless dreamers who are determined to build sustainable relationships with their practices, and for anyone who feels unsatisfied with traditional ideas of stability, wellbeing, and success.

By making a donation or pre-ordering our first issue, you will support the work of emerging artists and cross-disciplinary thinkers who believe in the power of words and images for confronting slippery topics in nuanced, eye-opening ways.

At a time of economic uncertainty, your support will also be invaluable to the longevity of an editorial environment that holds space for creative experimentation and independent projects like ours.

Reaching our campaign goal will give us the opportunity to bring Whisk to life and print 300 copies of our first issue. With half of the copies reserved for direct supporters, we aim to circulate the remaining copies via bookstores and book fairs, making Whisk available to curious passersby and readers beyond our community.

Specifically, raising money through this campaign will allow us to cover production costs:

• Content production: Paying a honorarium to our brilliant contributors and those involved in the crowdfunding video production;
• Magazine production: Printing and binding + shipping the magazines;
• Startnext cost contribution (7%).