EMPIRES CRUMBLE is something that I saw on a friend’s t-shirt on the recent Arms and Sleepers tour and immediately wrote down in my iPhone ‘Notes’, eloquently titled ‘Random Shit’. It turns out that the t-shirt was created by the Oregon-based artist Alley Valkyrie (check out her Etsy shop here), who I contacted for permission to use these words as the theme for DXFXWXU MAG’s 2nd edition. So here we are, legal and inspired. 

 

WE ARE HAPPY to be continuing our journey with the DXFXWXU COLLECTIVE and the DXFXWXU MAG. We were humbled by how many of you subscribed after the release of the 1st edition in April, especially knowing how empty and meaningless so many websites and publications have become with recycled content and deprivation of art’s most essential elements. We are committed to continuing to curate and present works of art which we believe have something meaningful to say, without compromise, and without bullshit. Our objective is to hopefully create a community of like-minded folks who are inspired to actively absorb and reflect on a diverse variety of works of art. Thank you for giving this project a chance and for getting involved. 

 

WELL THEN, 'Empires Crumble' resonated with me because it is something I am seeing across society in oh so many different ways. The empire of misogyny is crumbling. The empire of white supremacy is putting up a last-ditch struggle against new forces that have woken up against it. The empire of western neoliberal capitalism, which rolled out the red carpet for big tech surveillance, is increasingly on the defensive. And, closer to home, the giants of the music industry are falling in the face of smaller, more disciplined independent organizations. In a small way, all these threads are woven into the current edition of the magazine and more generally in the mindset of the collective. We are thrilled to present a diverse group of artists and their creations, from numerous walks of life, corners of the world, and a plethora of contexts. Please enjoy and handle with care.