Hole & Corner Issue 20: Refocus

At Hole & Corner, we know all about slowing down and making space for the things that matter most in life. For our 20th issue, we are celebrating this ethos at a time when many more of us are discovering the therapeutic nature of making things, or the true worth of something that has been made by hand, every detail considered. One of the most notable impacts of the pandemic has been an increase in appreciation of nature and the environment, at the same time as an increasing awareness of the urgency needed to take action to change our behaviour if we are to combat the effects of the climate crisis.

It is clear that the world has changed, which is why we are highlighting some of the people who are helping to shift perspectives. For our Selects section, we interview Miritte Ben Yitzchak, the animator behind the latest film for Extinction Rebellion; the materials developer Alice Potts on her relentless quest to find alternatives to plastic from plants and seaweed; and the activist and politician Magid Magid on the new programme he is leading for the transnational University of the Underground, exploring how we use popular culture to create social change.

Before we rewire our lives, many of us need to do a bit of digital housekeeping. Mark Hooper takes some time away from his smart phone to find smarter ways to achieve greater focus and lead less distracted lives with the founder of digitally minimal low-tech brand Punkt., Petter Neby. Taking the long view is Ally Capellino who tells us about the twist and turns of 40 years in business and reflects on how not having a plan is sometimes the best plan.

Founder and creative director Sam Walton celebrates 20 issues by getting as far away from it all as possible, to the Lofoten archipelago on the coast of Søvågen, in the company of four chefs and a couple of blacksmiths. His story is almost as magical as the portfolio of photographs he shares. We also go on a nature trail at Old-Lands in Monmouthshire with environmentalist Sam Bosanquet, and learn a few lessons about the secret lives of moths and the incredible biodiversity he is cultivating there. And just to be sure we are on the right track, we get a really good night’s sleep, essential if we are to have the clear heads we need for the challenges ahead. Jude Rogers talks to the composer Max Richter and his collaborator Yulia Mahr about his epic eight-hour work, Sleep, and the recently released film they worked on together, documenting the beautifully somnambulant all-night performances. Robin Broadbent’s forensic photographs of the components of the world’s most comfortable mattress complete the picture.

Our creative and thoughtful community has a lot to teach us. The past six months have given us the chance to pause, be still and rethink. Sometimes, it’s just about shifting the way we look at the world and changing our perspective slightly. Then, hopefully, it will all start to make sense.