Mercurius: A window, a sea, a friend

Named after an alchemical concept in the writings of Carl Jung, Mercurius Magazine was founded in May 2020, with the aim of connecting writers, artists, and thinkers under the loose themes of “transformation” and “vitality”. The idea was to create a meeting place for an eclectic range of voices.

Since then, the magazine has grown to welcome contributors from across the globe, covering art, music, politics, literary essays, short stories, poetry, reflections on our times, visual performances, and more…

Mercurius: Project Jupiter was launched in December 2020 with the aim of establishing a hub for indie presses based on both sides of the Atlantic.

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As the evolution continues, our editors and contributors ask themselves what Mercurius means for them. Here are their responses:

What is Mercurius? (and why does it exist?)

Ariadna: Mercurius is a space for writers and artists of diverse backgrounds. It exists to share works of simplicity, vitality and spirituality - the most essential things - with the world. Its path is one of learning and creativity.

Sam: Mercurius, on the literal level, is an online magazine, existing for the purposes of facilitating communal expression. It is also a temple of the transient, an oasis in the desert of distraction, a still spot in the whirligig of the world, a calming collective and a pocket of peace. As the name implies, it is mercurial and shape-shifting, and a work very much in ongoing progress.

Nidia: Mercurius invites us to see ourselves from all places: a mirror that shows the whole. If we are the Universe, why not visit the smallest part of ourselves? - Mercurius says - and from the nothingness, rethink the “everything” that flees; and in the flight of transient things discover vital ideas and meanings. Mercurius is a window, a sea, a friend.

Steven: Mercurius is an online cultural magazine that recalls the Roman word for Mercury, the god of luck and eloquence. It exists to connect artists and share their work.

Anatoly: Mercurius is a digital gathering of people who have something important to say, a kind of virtual fireplace around which a circle of writers and artists have taken their place. It is not an exclusive club. If you feel like joining, you can submit your work. If you feel like taking a break, that’s also a possible. We hope our pieces create a spark of something interesting. Mercurius exists because it can. In the past, people could only meet if they shared the same physical location. Mercurius creates a dialogue between people who live in diverse places.

Michael: Mercurius is an open community of original multifaceted content, ranging from philosophy to art. Individuals can express their ideas as part of a community.

Mari: Mercurius is an arts, literature and current affairs magazine without a fixed format. Editors guide its shape by: sharing their art, expressing their personal discoveries in the poetry of life, talking about what matters to them, sharing visions of a better world, outlining ideas that often go unsaid in mainstream outfits. Every week the theme changes. This week, for example, the theme is “star”. Last week it was “disaster”. The weekly theme guarantees not only a fresh movement of thought but also a degree of consistency. The editorial work behind the scenes is highly professional, which means quality is also a defining feature of the magazine. It exists to counter isolation in an atomised age, to create a sense of community.

Thomas: Mercurius is a vital force and sanctuary for beauty in turbulent times. The word Mercurius comes from the alchemical concept of a “world-creating spirit”, found in the writings of Carl Jung. Other appropriate words might be: “breath of life”, “prana” (Sanskrit), qi (Chinese), ra (Egyptian), zen (Japanese), sog (Tibetan). It is the beginning and the end of every alchemist’s quest. Each week is a fragment of a longer journey. Everybody’s on a different path. Sometimes those paths have more in common than we think.

Annabel: Mercurius gives a voice to a passionate collective of writers from all over the world. It is a counterpoint to mainstream dialectic. It is a place for authentic dialogue. A place to express ideas, thoughts and creativity. A place where freedom of thought is not tied to commercial pressures and individuality is celebrated. A place to breathe, explore, inspire and escape.

David: Mercurius makes me feel ignorant! Which is brilliant. It’s the feeling I get before I learn something. So you could say it’s an enlightenment project with a genuinely deep understanding of things. The way it’s presented, with diverse artforms, is a great strength.