Hometown Journal–Episode 01

The Hometown Journal is about who we are—as creatives, as humans, as citizens. It’s where we come from and where we want to be going. Hometown investigates the work of passionate creators all over the globe, as a reflection of today’s constantly evolving zeitgeist. By digging deep into the complex dynamics of modern-day systems and their functions, they hope to reach the core of each topic, and collectively discover new possibilities for change.

Rooted in film, Hometown as a Duo has always been about telling stories. In the beginning, two high school friends, Alex and Eric, produced, shot, and directed their own documentaries, as well as music videos. Those films had one thing in common, they centered around the joys, habits, and suffering of human beings. When a global pandemic hit in 2020, making films was off the table for a while. What was left was the desire to tell stories. Annoyed by the fast-paced online platforms around them they wanted to find an outlet that was real. Not a file name, but an actual, crafted piece. Hometown Journal was born.

They approached the magazine as a film project, looking at it from a wide range of perspectives. What can print do? How can we tell the story right? What is fun to look at and what creates excitement for the reader? The team of three started to look for their origin. What is Hometown? What does it mean to their creative collaborators? And what is still wrong in the world we call home? Artists were as carefully gathered as topics and the written word in itself. But also the choice of paper and different ways of printing were considered to tell a single story. Every element within the magazine is meant to tell the story of Hometown, creating a haptic guide throughout the chapters. This episode is not perfect, but it is crafted with love, it is a documentation of the process of creating in itself, and the outlet of three friends, wanting to bring joy into the world.

So what is Hometown? Hometown is for anyone who lives and breathes art, who embraces the medium, whether it be photography, illustration, music, or film. It’s meant to be a source of inspiration and to lift the curtain for those aspiring to know more. It’s for those who like to take a ten minute break from the day, and anybody who gets tired of the digital world from time to time. This one’s for you. Welcome to our Hometown.

If you like this issue, keep your eyes open: The second issue of Hometown will be out soon.