Currently logged in. Logout
On Sunday 21 May, over 100 artists will gather together at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA), in celebration of the zine community that has nurtured independent and DIY publishing, at the Zine Fair 2017.
Presented as part of the Sydney Writer’s Festival, the fair features talks and events hosted by acclaimed literary personalities from across the globe. Sharing the spotlight of creatives, such as teen Vogue editor Elaine Welteroth, Roxanne Gay and Susan Faludi who are hosting talks as part of the festival, will be over 85 stalls geared for an exciting day of selling, trading and knowledge sharing.
MCA Zine Fair 2016. Photograph: Jacquie Manning
A zine, abbreviated from fanzine or magazine, is an independent or self-published publication that thrived on a counter culture aesthetic of DIY, and exclusivity. Today, zines can be found both off and online, with editors as famous as Kanye West, who brought mainstream attention to the print medium with his zine celebrating his second collection of clothing with Adidas – Yeezy Season 2; or as local as your next door neighbour, peddling their hand-made efforts to those who pass by them on the street. The appeal of the zine is that they are limited additions, with only a few copies made to be cherished as works of art in themselves.
MCA Zine Fair 2015
Joining students from the National Art School, UNSW Art &Design, Dulwich High School of Visual Arts & Design and other student collectives are professional zine-makers and artists Kimberley Angangan, Diana Bui and Calum York who work individually to explore aspects of their lives and cultures that fascinates, troubles or inspires them. These artists are among the many other zine makers whose stalls promise a moment of adventure, discovery and art for those visiting the fair.
MCA Zine Fair 2016 workshop. Photograph: Jacquie Manning
Branded as “the best place in Sydney for visitors to meet with over 100 artists and creators under one roof” by MCA public engagement manager, Yael Filipovic, the fair combines the zine marketplace with panel discussions, musicians and a ‘zine garden’ to ensure that visitors leave with a familiarity and connection to the strong DIY movement that has been sustained through these publications. This message will be communicated in the discussion with esteemed writer and zine-maker Bastrin Fox Phelan, which will cover the history of the zine fair, the autonomy these magazines afford artists, and how art institutions should act now to ensure the future of the movement.
