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Twin Issue XXIII

2020 hasn’t given us much to laugh about, but it has changed our experience of time and space. This year we’ve slowed down, ground to a halt, accelerated, activated, organised, experienced deep grief and pure joy all at once, sometimes at the same time. With a global pandemic keeping most people at home, we invited contributors to explore their surroundings, to work with what they had around them.

The result is Twin’s personal issue, and we’re honoured and excited to have been able to create such a rich, intimate, thought provoking magazine at this genuinely strange and largely unprecedented time (remember when that wasn’t the opening line to every single email…?) thanks to the independent, dynamic spirit of our contributors.

At 26 years old, Dilone is one of the leading models in fashion, and wields her influence powerfully. Our cover star model and activist explores the power of protest and community in an interview with Jordan Anderson. The brilliant Leah Thomas, founder of the Intersectional Environmentalism movement, drills into systemic racism within environmentalism. She explains why activism needs work across social justice and sustainability in order to make impactful change, with portraits by Nolwen Cifuentes. And in ‘Words and Pictures’ photographer Jermaine Francis and director Akinola Davies discuss Francis’ portraits of graffiti that were taken during lockdown in London and how they embody our political reality.

2020 is a time to celebrate radical visionaries, so in this issue you’ll also find a rare interview with the iconic Californian pioneer of performance and print, Barbara T. Smith. Kate Neave profiles the inspirational installations of Dominique White. Also, Jess Clark talks to Byredo founder Ben Gorham and beauty maverick and artist Isamaya Ffrench about future colour theory. Photographer Sharif Hamza captures moments of fleeting beauty, style icon Tziporah Salamon, captured by Ben Rayner, offers a love letter to New York post-lockdown. At home, Lara Johnson-Wheeler delivers a love letter to romance and recipes, while in ‘Subversive Skin’, Isabella Davey profiles the new designers changing underwear.

And so much more! As winter looms, get up close & personal with this latest issue; be inspired and energised to face this brave new world we’re in.

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Twin issue 22

“As soon as you can crawl, you are put on a mat to train” quotes Kauan Gracie, recalling her earliest memory to stylist Beatriz Maués. The Gracies’ first female run Jiu-Jitsu academy celebrates the art of self defence through dance and sisterhood – shot by Liberto Filló and styled by Beatriz Maués. The Gracies set the scene for issue 22, where focus, determination and individual spirit are recurring themes throughout our features.

Supermodel Carolyn Murphy covers Twin’s latest issue in an existential polar journey, shot by Hans Neumann. Paolo Such takes a walk with metal rapper Dana Dentata in LA and Stefanie Mosshammer covers the world’s fashion waste with an anthropomorphic clothing series. Molly Matalon explores sex and intimacy and Clare Shilland dreams of space and speed. 

Elsewhere we catch up with the prodigal theatre director Ola Ince who’s fresh from a run at The Donmar and about to tackle Shakespeare’s finest at The Globe; rising star Sophie Leseberg Smith talks the music of poetry and Rochelle White and Hamed Maiye talk the power of food through their creative platform, Eating At the Same Table.

We profile rising Scandinavian artist Ragna Bley and get into the detailed perfection of Ron Nagle’s art. Liv Siddall welcomes the lunar return of The Big Moon and Kate Neave presents the daring feminist art of Harmony Hammond. And the radical vision of Tara Joshi, Otegha Uwagba, Valeria Napoleone and Daisy Walker are celebrated in ‘She Said Boom’. 

Twin issue XXI

Features Editor, issue XXI

For issue 21, Twin goes into the wild. Nature is all around this issue: raw, textured, free. We’re putting the spotlight on the untamed and the unconstrained, and within that, the figures who seize it, own it and make others want to do the same.

Take the 8 groundbreaking artists, (Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Renate Bertlmann, Pauline Boudry / Renate Lorenz, Laure Prouvost, Otobong Nkanga Eva Rothschild and  Cathy Wilkes) at this year’s Venice Biennale whose diverse and brilliant work sets a new agenda for representation in the art world. Also blazing a new path in the creative landscape is Mira Schor. The artist’s exhibition in New York earlier this year spotlighted on her Californian paintings, where, Kate Neave explains in her tribute Schor’s work, “Naked bodies live alongside wild beasts in exotic, luscious landscapes.” 

Wild beasts and a startling, evocative landscape is also the subject of Mark Mahaney’s ‘Polar Night’ series – a captivating meditation on the Alaskan town of Utqiagvik that sees 65 days of prolonged darkness each winter. Humans in nature, and the symbiotic relationship between the two is also explored through the collaboration between Rose Pilkington and photography duo Lola + Pani. Another to embrace the natural world is Natalie Mering (AKA Weyes Blood). The

Pennsylvania-born star brings seventies sounds to modern ears, with well suited swagger, and talks over her new album with Liv Siddall. Meanwhile  photographer Daisy Walker and artist Alexandria Coe embrace living bodies through a dialogue of flesh and image. 

Powerful and visionary voices are celebrated throughout the issue. From Fran Gavin’s chat with the enigmatic and supreme talent, Turner nominee Anthea Hamilton to Lara Johnson Wheeler’s trans Atlantic email exchange with author Natasha Stagg; Melanie Gaydos, photographed by Ivar Wigan, speaks on beauty and bravery with Isabella Davey, and photographers Francesca Allen, Nicolas Kantor, Ronan McKenzie and Emma Tempest bring their unique and energetic eyes to tell stories of individual, no shits to give, commanding, brilliant women.