We couldn’t think of a better time than a global pandemic that has forced us to second guess touch, to unpack intimacy, which is the theme of the second issue of Kalavaram. This time we had artists send in their pieces first and then randomly assigned it to poets who had signed up. Reading all the submissions made us cognizant of how vastly intimacy can and has been interpreted. Intimacy has always been complex, and navigating it—with yourself or with someone else—can be a delicate and even complicated process. Our poets have shown us that you can’t merely think about the touches you want, without also simultaneously acknowledging the ones you don’t. This pandemic doesn’t change that. We also assigned the same art piece to multiple poets and we prepared for chaos. Instead, we were met with startling interpretive insight and creative vulnerability.
We hope you enjoy this issue of Kalavaram as much as we did putting it together!
Find more issues of Kalavaram and other zines on @zinedabaad!
