I’ve maintained this website, in various iterations, since 2002 (most of the old posts from when I was 17 are private). I believe firmly in “showing up” and keeping with something for the long run—and this is probably the longest I’ve stuck with anything.
This website is set in Signal by Production Type and Basis Grotesque by the Colophon Foundry. I find them to be a perfect typographic workhorses: legible at all sizes, sufficiently characteristic to leave an impression, but neutral enough to get out of the way.
I try to use publicly available images wherever possible, and original art in an editorial context, always crediting the artist. I consider this fair use when discussing the works—but if you’re the copyright owner and would like me to take down an image, please get in touch at hello@larsmensel.com.
This website runs on Blot, an interface-less blogging platform that turns files and folders into a website. I agree with the founder of Blot when he says: “I like the simplicity and durability of plain text files.” This instance of Blot is rigged with all sorts of frontend customizations, and I’m constantly tweaking it.
This page doesn’t collect any user data. It uses Plausible Analytics for lightweight, anonymized visitor statistics.
Here are some style preferences, which I’m mostly recording for myself.