The Texture of Now
The Writers
GRAIN is built on the work of a small, carefully chosen group of writers. They bring rigor, curiosity, and literary seriousness to every form they work in.
Culture critic and essayist — New York
Maya Osei writes on technology, attention, and the texture of modern life. Her essays have appeared in n+1, The Point, and Harper's. She is working on a book about distraction and its discontents, set to publish in 2027. She lives in New York.
Food writer and poet — Lyon, France
James Fehr is a food writer, poet, and former restaurant cook. He has spent the last decade writing about the culture of eating — not recipes, but what food means, who eats alone, who eats together, and why it matters. He lives in Lyon.
Architecture critic and urban theorist — London / Bogotá
Sofía Rincón is an architecture critic and urban theorist whose work examines how built environments shape the inner lives of those who inhabit them. She teaches at the Architectural Association in London and is the author of The Slow Room (2024). She lives between London and Bogotá.
Art critic — Los Angeles
Elliot Park writes on contemporary art, digital culture, and the philosophical stakes of making images in an age of infinite reproduction. He is a contributing editor at Artforum and the author of three books on contemporary painting. He lives in Los Angeles.
Essayist — Berlin
Clara Voss writes personal essays and lyric criticism on language, loss, and what the examined life actually costs. Her debut collection, The Grammar of Grief, was published in 2025 to wide critical attention. She holds a doctorate in comparative literature from Yale. She lives in Berlin.
Urban reporter and sociologist — Detroit
Theo Abara is an urban reporter and sociologist who covers cities, nightlife, and the social geography of modern life. He has reported from Lagos, Berlin, Tokyo, and Detroit. He is a senior fellow at the Urban Institute and a contributing writer at GRAIN since its founding issue.