My Nottingham Zine Fest Chronicle.
The future is analogue.
The future is human.
The future is printed.
The future is written.
The future is luddite.
The future has machines that serve humans, not humans that serve machines.
The future has tech that feeds nature, not nature that feeds tech.
The future builds bridges, not walls.
The future contains languages, not chaos.
The future has arts, has sciences, has humanity and maths.
The future is abundant.
The future is collaborative.
The future is horizontal.
The future is expressive.
The future celebrates what makes each person unique, while reminding us that we are all equal.
The future is fertile.
The future is beautiful.
The future is green.
The future is open.
The future is universal.
The future is now.
I needed something to calm my fear of disconnection among people and of perdition among machines. I found that something at Nottingham Zine Fest, a zine fest that took place last 8th of November at Nottingham Central Library, just a half hour by train from my city, Leicester.
The non-profit festival was a celebration of “self-expression and the power of print.” It featured exhibitors from across the country and around the world, including numerous artists, illustrators, writers, activists, designers, educators, publishers, and other enthusiasts of DIY culture, creation, printing, distribution, dissemination, and independent collaboration.
There were stalls selling zines and other printed material throughout the library's three floors, as well as workshops and talks. Some of my favourites were:
The sticker workshop by Dizzy Ink. I loved creating illustrations for a future project and transforming them into super cute and sparkly stickers. I'm literally saving up now to buy my own mini-label printer like the one we used at the workshop.
The screenwriting workshop, also by Dizzy Ink. It was extra special because it was facilitated by Sian Morrell, a person I hadn't seen in years. We were very happy to stumble upon each other, and I also learned how to screenprint on a commemorative tote bag.
The talk by Mr Gordo, co-founder of Zine Swap, a project in which people from all over the world send them copies of their zines and they receive a random selection of other zines in return. You can join from wherever you are. The project has been around since 2008, and it's just come back in full force after a hiatus. It inspired me quite a bit.
The Game Boy camera that Jake Pink/Hotpinkpixels carried aroundIt's literally a Game Boy with a digital camera function, like the ones that came out back in the '90s. Aficionados discovered that it uses the same technology as CCTV cameras, that surveillance system that's widespread throughout the UK. Jake adapted a lens like the ones these cameras use and now they use it to take their photos. It was heartwarming to know that such a cold and intimidating technology could be used for something so beautiful and fun.
I was so happy to see this in action that I have an uncontrollable grin in the photos Jake took of me. At first, I didn't like how I looked, but now I see what it is: an expression of the happiness I felt that day.
The zine workshop by Artizine. I've just met her, and Ioana Simion is already one of my favourite people. Ioana is from Romania, lives in London, and from there she creates her personal zines and teaches workshops both in person and online. Her love for zine creation is immense, especially for collage. For her, "life is a collage." It was wonderful to find someone who loves collage as much as I do, and who sees this art form as a means of expression and connection beyond the parameters of the dominant system. She holds her online workshop once a month.
The zines by nialldraws. I love his brain. Pop music fan, generative art hater. His zine about Basement Jaxx's "Romeo" is a more playful take on the 33 1/3 book series. It's brilliant. And yes, that song slaps. He also has a zine about what it feels like to go swimming and listen to music underwater. I remember that Daniel Snaith from Caribou told me the same thing many years ago, and that's why he made his album Swim. It's a beautiful feeling that Niall also loves, and it was very sweet that he talked about it and even shared a great playlist.
I returned home with a happy heart, a light soul, and a huge smile that will be hard to erase. Although the media and the establishment want us to believe that if we don't embrace generative, data, and excessive technology, we'll be left behind, the truth is that at events like Nottingham Zine Fest, we realise that those of us who still believe in the transformative power of print, handmade items, and in-person and online community, are several steps ahead.
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