What do you know about Zines?
ZINES ZINES ZINES!
What is a zine you may ask?
The general consensus on Zines is that they are independently produced, cheap, short-run publications not intended for mainstream distribution, and created because of passion rather than profit. Usually photocopied and stapled in the centre, however there are many styles of cutting, folding, printing and binding, all dependant on the zine makers’ tastes.
Welcome to the zine scene
Genres of zines range as widely as the zine creators, from anarchist punk zine makers to crafty-knitted-cupcake-with-cups-of-tea zine makers. They extend from the political to the crafty, the comic book to the perzine, from creators who think of themselves as writers and those who are primarily artists. If it can be photocopied you will find it in a zine somewhere and if you can’t find it you can make it yourself. The surge in popularity of zines and zine culture has come about with the emergence of DIY culture. This lends itself to anarchist zines, as more mainstream Socialist print media is more fomalised in magazine and newspaper print styles. Zines allow the creator
Although quite hidden, the zine scene in Sydney is a subculture open to all. Some characters you might meet are Pterodactyl Man with his zine comic of the same name, who can be found at zine fairs in his matching costume, and Maria Zarro with her monthly astrological zine which can be found online with her zine astrological blog Astrobabble, her astrological studies of musical icons can be found stocked at Red Eye Records on York Street in Sydney’s CBD.
Sydney, unlike other Australian cities, does not have one large zine collective promoting zine culture to put on the city’s zine fair. However the MCA does this job by hosting Australia’s largest zine fair as part of the Sydney Writers Festival in May of each year. The MCA Zine Fair is the gallery’s most highly attended one day event of the year, with over 5,000 people visiting the gallery to scope out people’s latest zines. Zine writers, zine artists, comic makers and others from around Australia and a few international zine makers offering their creations.
One of Sydney’s favourite printmaking collectives, called The Rizzeria, stocks zines at their pop-up shop located at shop 5 Metcalfe Arcade, 80-84 George St, The Rocks. The Rizzeria will have a stand at the Powerhouse Museum Mini Maker Faire on 24th November. There will be a live GOCCO screen printing demonstration in the morning by local zine maker Fayroze (of Aerogrammes From The Heart) and the opportunity to make your own personalised zine, and stamp, print, cut, stitch or staple a small-format zine with the likes of zine cupcake princess Miss Helen.
Powerhouse Museum Mini Maker Faire
When: November 24th 10am until 5pm
Where: Powerhouse Museum, Harris Street, Ultimo
Cost: free with general admission ($12 adult, $6 child, $8 concession, $30 family)
Come browse, learn and buy!