Rohini Walker and Martín Mancha, founders of the popular independent print periodical, Luna Arcana, are working on an intriguing new project that’s set to look very different to their previous issues.
Until now, Luna Arcana has been a publication that documents different dimensions of the American southwest – from the cultural and ecological, to the Indigenous, spiritual and mythological. Each issue has been driven by specific themes with Walker’s writing, editing and curation, Mancha’s visual art, as well as many well-respected contributors from writers, poets, artists and photographers.
A few years ago, Luna Arcana published an anthology of their previous issues, The Alchemy of Earth & Sky, Vol. 1 with the indie arts publisher, The Artlands, and there are future volumes planned as well.
However, the next thing that we can expect from Luna Arcana is an exclusive collaboration between Mancha and Walker which is going to take the shape of a book.
We were able to have a conversation with Walker, who while reluctant to give too much away, including the name, was happy to talk about the general direction of the new project.
“It’s going to be a book, written by me and with accompanying art and visuals by Martín, to really draw the reader into a multi-dimensional journey. The narrative is going to be both prose and poetry, and will be woven together by a specific theme – similar to Luna Arcana’s previous issues. Except this time, the thematic element will be more evident, while in the past it’s been more of a backdrop in our issues, because we’ve wanted to amplify our contributors’ work.”
Martín Mancha
Walker was keen to emphasize that, as with all creative processes, they’re not being too rigid about what it should be, and instead allowing themselves to be guided by what wants to come through and be created:
“While we have a clear theme and creative direction, we’re not overly attached to making it turn out a specific way. Creativity is a dance between the people stewarding it into being and the creation – a dynamic of listening and responding, and when necessary altering course. It becomes less about us, and more about what the thing, in this case, the book, wants to be. There has to be a fluidity within the container of creating.”
The book is set to be released sometime in the latter half of 2025. As with all Luna Arcana creations, we can tell it’s going to be profound, memorable and collectible. We’ll keep you updated on the book’s launch.
In the meantime, you can find out more about Luna Arcana here. We highly recommend joining their excellent email newsletter series. You can also check out their nascent YouTube channel here.
