A Chance at Intimacy

Minutes before the doors to the Disc Journal, Vol. 2, “Intimacy” launch party in late January opened at 7 p.m., organizers were testing a custom fog and light display. “Are these parts from…McMaster-Carr?” someone asked. “Oh, definitely,” came the response. By 8 p.m., the tiny venue was packed chockablock with people. A DJ was stationed at the back of the shop; readers were hunched over stacks of the spiral-bound publication, while others were carefully assembling BDSM rope flowers (instructions could be found in special “stuffed” copies of the voluminous issue). Editor IAN ERICKSON made the rounds among architecture groupies who’d filtered in from all along the East Coast, trading studio gossip and thrilling at their or their friends’ being in print. “Keep flipping,” contributor ELSA MH MÄKI told a guest who was trying to find her and artist ANI LIU’s piece on deer hunters and multi-species hormonal intimacy. “It’s the hunting one!” By 9 p.m., just as many people were out on the sidewalk as were inside. The stack of first-run issues had sold out.