Focus on: the art of the Fanzine

Spanning music to politics, football to feminism, fanzines have been crucial to the energy and experiment of alternative culture for decades. From their earliest origins; to the Sixties underground press and the DIY explosion of punk rock; right through to their 1990s revival and the practices of today; we’ll delve into the distinctive aesthetics, key techniques and wider culture of ‘zine production.
We’ll ask what counts as a fanzine? Are they tied to consumerism, or do they offer a resistant voice to the marginalised? Questioning where ‘zines end and art begins, we’ll investigate influences and overlaps. Finally, we’ll turn our focus to the present, considering the eclipse and re-emergence of ‘zine culture in the Internet age.
The course is structured around lectures and class discussions exploring relevant concepts and historical questions.