Issue #9

7.00

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Description

This is the most difficult issue of Panel that we've ever produced. It was put together during the first months of the war, a war that changed not only the Western world, but our individual lives. For all of us at Panel, the war in Ukraine is tragic, and it has become extremely personal.

In this issue we've worked closely with writers from Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Hungary, the United States and Ukraine. We aim to give our contributors a platform to share their reflections, their experiences and their pain. Coincidentally, a good number of the pieces featured in this issue explore the topic of home.

The interview section of the magazine includes conversations with prescient science fiction author Sue Burke, and with linguist Anna Szilágyi—about the power of words at a time when we have been struck dumb.

Fittingly, our book reviewer has opted to cover novels by contemporary Ukrainian writers.

The artworks included in the issue, produced by Ukrainian and international artists, not only form the backbone of its unique style, but also were displayed as part of an exhibition, “Reverse Perspective of War: Art for Sanity,” which opened in Budapest on the day of this issue’s launch.

We at Panel believe that, despite stereotypes to the contrary, art makes us healthy. It works for our sanity, not against it. It bestows meaning, even if that meaning is only temporary. Since putting together this issue and exhibition helped us stay sane and active, and—against all odds—supplied us with joy, we hope that reading Panel will do the same for you.