Kitchen Sink
6 March 2007
Magazine review: University of Akron
"Kitchen Sink" is a fairly new arts and culture magazine on the market. Only in its fourth edition, the magazine's tagline reads "For people who think too much." The topics covered include art, popular culture, identity and politics. Every article in the magazine is an original, and most articles are personal essays or reviews of books, music, and popular ideas. Nearly 100 percent of the material in "Kitchen Sink" is freelance driven.
The constant sections in "Kitchen Sink" include Louder then Words, Reverse Angle, Untitled, Paper City, R:evolution, and Sex, Food, and God. "Louder than Words," which is edited by Jeff Johnson, is a section covering music. "Reverse Angle," edited by Sam Hurwitt, covers movies and television. "Untitled" is a section on the exposure and discussion of art, and its editor is Jen Loy. Edited by Elka Karl, "Paper City" is rightfully named for its content about books. This section is particularly unique because it rarely contains current book reviews, but instead focuses on looking at classic literature through a contemporary lens. "R:evolution" is a politics and culture section edited by Jeff Johnson. "Sex, Food, and God," edited by Stefanie Kalem, is a section that covers pretty much everything relating to life. It has unique recipes, how-tos, and reflections on spirituality.
"Kitchen Sink" has a wide variety of readers, but it lists its target demographic as a community of artists, thinkers, and editors. The magazine's style is targeted at an audience deeply interested in perspectives on popular and underground culture. The magazine is written in simple language, and lots of satire, irony, and wit are used. If someone is not familiar with a particular genre of pop culture, they might be lost in the articles, which often employ lingo from that genre.
"Kitchen Sink" is a great magazine for young freelance writers. The editor-in-chief Stefanie Kalem makes a reference several times in her "Letter From the Editor" that she and her staff are interested in reading new material from first-time contributors. Since most of the material in the magazine is first person, it makes for a good creative outlet.
"Kitchen Sink" is produced by Neighbor Lady Community Arts Project, a non-profit organization located in Oakland, California.