#118: The Zine
A space to speak from
Yesterday I made a zine. Pronounced as in ‘magazine’, the mother form after which it was named, this object takes an established form and twists it to its own purposes.
The history of zines is one of the fringes of society, of people challenging the mainstream, of dreamers forming their own creative space. Zines are rooted in self-publishing in its various forms, a medium which gives everyone the freedom to speak, a medium often linked to politics, including the French Revolution.
Zines as we recognise them today, however, really began in the 1930s as science-fiction fanzines, when science-fiction fans began to create and publish their own stories. They are about collaboration, about democratising art, rather than restricting it to ‘true artists’.
In the 1970s, the punk scene propelled the zine into new territory, as did the increased accessibility of the photocopier. Zines could now be printed, copied and distributed far more easily. They were shared and swapped and bought and discussed. They made connections between people. Communities.
The early 1990s saw a new turn in the zine story. The Riot Grrrl movement — a collection of women united by music and feminism — began expressing themselves through zines.
But what is a zine?
Imagine a mini magazine, stapled together by a humble office stapler, its pages displaying a photocopied collection of collages. Words and pictures. A voice speaking from a raw unfiltered place.
Imagine a mini magazine, glued together with a humble pritt stick, its pages displaying handwritten ideas and hand drawn doodles. Words and pictures. A voice speaking from a personal place.
My zine is a piece of A3 paper folded into shape. Some words, but mostly images. It tells a day in my life. It is my voice speaking personally and simply. I made it at a workshop led by Una, an acclaimed graphic novelist, a day I learnt a lot about zines and myself.
Zines are about personal expression for everyone. They are not about perfection, or commerciality. They are about real voices speaking the words that speak to them. So grab a piece of paper. Fold it in half. Say something. You’ll be amazed at the stories you have to tell.
