We have, admittedly, a little bit of catching up to do with our coverage of the Colossive Press series of Colossive Cartographies fold-out zines. So we are going to endeavour to get some thoughts on each of the outstanding entries published over the next few weeks at Broken Frontier, starting today with Michelle Kent’s offering in #68 of the run – ‘Hit Escape’.
As I have noted in the past, sometimes there is something to be gleaned in the Cartographies reading experience by also referring to the small preview blurb for each one at the Colossive Press site. (Alternatively, of course, some may prefer an unfiltered interaction with the tactile object, uninfluenced by anything but direct contact.) In the case of ‘Hit Escape’ there is certainly extra context to be taken from that online mini-commentary that may expand your appreciation of its message. Ultimately though, and whether you refer to that or not, there’s something very recognisable in Kent’s representation of the work/life balance and our desire to be free of the drudgery of the 9 to 5 routine.
What’s notable here is the way in which Kent makes use of the Turkish map fold format to express those ideas. A plaintive plea to be free of the urban entrapment of the workplace in one fold with a symbolic keyboard in the other, both leading into the fantasy holiday paradise escape in the main fold-out illustration. The Colossive Cartographies usually don’t take too long to experience as objects. But their major strength lies not in the moment but in what we take away from them thereafter. ‘Hit Escape’ is no exception.
Michelle Kent (W/A) • Colossive Press, £2.00
Review by Andy Oliver
