A paean to the linseed, each Volume of the publication is themed around a single ingredient with enduring cultural significance.
A material which continues to nourish and inspire, at the confluence of the human and natural worlds.
LINSEED is a companion of cultural entanglement.
In part, a tapestry: stitching through geographic boundaries and historical divides. A patchwork: gathering texture from near and far.
Come winter, a tangled thicket, twitching with quiet curiosity. In summer a dancing stream, cool currents in its depths.
Its maker knows not the length of thread required, nor the appearance of its final pattern. Still, they stitch: preserving remnants of lives lived; darning holes in our collective memory.
It chases the contemporary moment, mapping a constellation of ideas. And it hunts for our heritage, yielding a wellspring of unspoken wisdom.
An almanac of seasonal graft, and a larder of local lore.
Linseed, flax, Linum usitatissimum
A flowering plant, whose blue blooms last only one day
A crop, cultivated as food and fodder on all arable continents, thriving even on poor soil
The natural source of linen —a symbol of light and life, some of the oldest worn cloth in the world. A textile used for bags, towels, sail cloth and painter canvases; the thread of book-binders and ropemakers
The stuff of linseed oil — used by oil painters and carpenters, as varnish for cricket bats and on floors as linoleum
In Latin, “linseed” translates as “most useful”, for its unrivalled versatility amongst crops
Whilst the ancient Egyptians named it "woven moonlight", due to its singular beauty
Linseed seeks out written and visual contributions from across the world, representing a diversity of emerging, established, expert and outsider voices. Together, mapping a new topography of local insights into culture, community and place.
We take pride in on our inclusive commissioning process and sustainable, highest-quality print production. Our print editions are distributed worldwide to specialist bookstores, independent shops, galleries and institutions.
Off the page, we run a programme of culinary and cultural gatherings, both locally and internationally, designed to bring people together in conversation and creativity.