Editor’s Letter

Dear reader,

              Whether this is your first time here at Expanded Field or you’re back again for our newest issue — welcome! When sitting down to write this editorial I struggled to find a way to contextualise the issue without dwelling on the, seemingly never-ending, limbo we continue to inhabit. The past year and a half has been a test for everyone, but Expanded Field has seen unprecedented growth as a result. It is my great pleasure that we have continued to receive an excess of submissions, from more and more places, people, and walks of life. With this in mind, I am proud and excited to present you with our newest issue, “Wander.”

              With the sun shining brightly here in Amsterdam, burning away the shadows of the long winter and reviving us with vitamin D and lush greenery, “Wander” is here to remind you to pay attention to the little moments, the special spaces, that hold whispered secrets of magic, mysticism, and folklore. These themes have been crutches for many of us during the recent uncertainties and thread together the pieces we are sharing with you now. Just like Eve Rifkah’s “The Quilt Maker,” art and literature have the power to make us whole again, to breathe new life into the forgotten, as Jack Morton has in “Riff’s Story,” and to turn passions into lifestyles — read about such a transformation for yourself in “November in Alkmaar.”

              I’m exceedingly proud of the Expanded Field team for having continued to dedicate themselves to the journal and for adapting to our increasing popularity, the result being that this year we will be publishing a special extra issue — so keep your eyes on our socials to see when it is out! But for now, take a walk, talk to the trees, listen to the water, relax, and let your mind wander; we’ll provide the stories. Sitting, walking, or flying, this issue is here to transport you, into dystopian futures where art is banned, through the sky to the place weather is made, and far, far away to a princess and a castle.

Thank you for your continued support and submissions.

Acacia Caven

Editor-in-Chief