Ashtrays Magazine : Vol. 01 Rituals

Shir Simhoni

Other

Laced with mundanity, wit, gossip, and a hint of substance, the words shared over a cigarette unveil our truths. When we find ourselves looking for fresh air, a break from the music, or a chance to talk. When the seemingly inconsequential act of gathering turns profound. When we think no one’s really paying attention. Ashtrays Magazine creates something worth talking about in the smoking area. Inspired by the candid conversations held over a cigarette, Ashtrays Magazine uncovers the art we’re not supposed to see - because it’s blue- tacked on someone’s best friend’s wall, because galleries aren’t ‘going in that direction right now’, because it hasn’t gone viral and probably never will. We’ve let the art business dictate how art should make us feel - in the white-cube galleries, the press-releases, and grandiose curatorial statements. Ashtrays isn’t made to appeal to established curators, mainstream taste, or flashy galleries. Our artists inspire us to think, feel, and maybe even talk about it - in the smoking area or beyond. Our first issue is themed “rituals” - an homage to the ashtray as the receptacle of inspiration, escape, and togetherness. Deeply personal yet collectively held, rituals repeat in our lives in nuanced ways. Whether we gather in a holy temple or around an ashtray, we look for transcendence, a community, maybe even ourselves.