essential hues

I'm really pleased to say that I was invited to send copies of Shape & Situate zine over the pond to feature in a small zine library as a backdrop to group art show organised by the ever-great Caroline Paquita in Brooklyn.

Caroline has been collecting publications, zines and comics to create a small zine library for the duration of the show and then plans to donate the whole thing to one of the many more official zine libraries in the New York area afterwards.

The show looks so awesome that I could weep. What I wouldn't give to be there in person. If you ever want to bring it to the UK guys...

More details on the show:

Essential Hues
A collaborative group show featuring Adee Roberson, Anna Luisa, Caitlin Sweet, Caroline Paquita and Sam Lopes.

We live in a world surrounded by color. We lead colorful lives. We make colorful work.

As artists who identify as queers, feminists, people of color, spell-casters and radicals, our work is saturated with the chroma of the vibrant lives and communities we have created and shared over the past decade and across geographic divides. Our histories are entwined, and color embodies the bright hues of the threads of collectivity, sexuality, gender, family, history and magic that bind us together.

Featuring paintings, works on paper, sculpture, textile art, video, and more, Essential Hues is a collaborative installation that will be up from April 13th- May 13th, 2012 at Wayfarer's Studio in Brooklyn, NY.

Full details here: http://carolinepaquita.blogspot.co.uk/p/essential-hues.html

Facebook details here


There may still be time to contribute other zines too, but get your skates on:

victoria baths

I've been in touch with Natalie over at Victoria Baths Zine Convention 2012 for a little while, organising Shape & Situate's participation at the event in May. And, it's all now confirmed and on the website: http://theshriekingviolets.blogspot.co.uk/p/victoria-baths-fanzine-convention-2012.html
I'll be exhibiting posters from all 3 issues of the zine for the first time, in the wonderfully apt (plus really stunning) location of the balcony around the former women's pool. Plus I'm tabling at the event too. Woo!

researching diy cultures (workshop)

From my inbox from Julia Downes...



Researching DIY Cultures: Towards a situated ethical practice
11am-1pm, Saturday 8 September 2012
Northumbria University (part of Gender & Subcultures symposium - see attached for more info on this)
Facilitated by Dr. Julia Downes (Durham University)

This is a one-off workshop that focuses on the ethics and dilemmas of doing research in radical DIY cultures. Academic research on DIY feminist cultural activism has increased over the past 20 years. Fanzines (Piano 2002; Schilt & Zobl 2008), music cultures (Taylor 2008; Keenan 2008; Giffort 2011; Downes 2012), films (Kearney 2006), grassroots sports (Finlay 2010), civic spaces (Enke 2007), cyberspace (Mazzarella 2005), and culture jamming (Stasko 2008) have all become popular arenas in which to theorise the construction of feminisms, genders, sexualities, race, ethnicity and class in culture and society. However relatively little methodological and ethical guidance has been published to help researchers at all levels (including undergraduate, postgraduate, early career and established academics) to negotiate the difficulties and dilemmas that confront those doing critical research within these cultures.
This workshop is for activists, academics and activist-academics to discuss their experiences of being involved in research on DIY cultures that they do and do not see as a place of personal belonging. Discussion of set readings, case studies and personal experiences will lead to the collaborative development of a series of practical and constructive recommendations for future practice.

Topics to be discussed include:

· Using established friendships and close-knit networks

· Rethinking insider/outsider dilemmas

· Problems in accessing, working with and representing radical DIY cultures

· Challenges in being critical about DIY cultures

· Dealing with moments of personal and political crisis throughout the research process

Provisional reading list

Jodie Taylor (2011) The Intimate Insider: Negotiating the ethics of friendship when doing insider research. Qualitative Research, 11(3): 3-22

Kath Browne (2003) Negotiations and Fieldworkings: Friendship and Feminist Research. Acme: An International E-journal for Critical Geographies, 2(2): 132-46

Jo Freeman (1972) The Tyranny of Structurelessness. Berkeley Journal of Sociology, 17: 151-65

Keith Halfacree (2004) ‘I Could Only Do Wrong’: Academic Research and DiY Culture (Chapter 6) Duncan Fuller & Rob Kitchin. Radical Theory/Critical Praxis: Making a difference. Pg 68 – 78

How to book a place
There is a maximum of 25 participants
Please email with a brief description of your experience of doing/being involved in a research project on DIY cultures and what you will need to attend julia.downes@durham.ac.uk
Deadline 1 April 2012

hudson valley brawl video

So much ♥ for Jacinta!
From my inbox...


Dear Arm Wrassling Enthusiasts of the World,

What? You had no idea that Jacinta (aka Magenta Delecta) could brutishly slice a watermelon down the middle with her killer rhymes? You had not a clue that muscular ladies could synchronize dance? You all knew what a talented song-writer Michael Truckpile (aka The Ref) was already, right? We consider ourselves lucky he wrote us into this one. Move over, Kool Moe Dee & Backstreet Boys. There’s a new ticket in town.

The talented & strong ladies of Hudson Valley BRAWL (Broads' Regional Arm Wrestling League) filmed this video at the etsy building in Hudson, NY under the directorial guidance of Rachael Saltzman & Julie Novak.

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNZ6YDVaKQk


"Forget the W.W.E. and get ready to BRAWL! Everything you ever wanted to know about the world of ladies arm wrestling is in this wonderfully demented video!" --Jon Wurster, Superchunk

Yours for World Domination,

The BRAWL Collective

(Mariah Bishop, Brandy Walters, Shannon Springer, Michelle Tommasi, Tricia Mazzocca, Amie Worley, Julie Novak, Jacinta Bunnell, Michael Truckpile)

www.hudsonvalleybrawl.com

www.facebook.com/hudsonvalleybrawl

getbusy

My real good buddy Ms Em Ledger works damn hard at running her webstore, Getbusy. She does it solo and has built it up from the ground herself. Selling and stocking urban streetware for ladies, women and girls that are often not catered for in this male-dominated field of fashion, Getbusy aims to 'stock a range of awesome brands making forward thinking, sharp and flattering clothing and accessories for women of all shapes and sizes, identities and looks'.
Getbusy's motto is, 'We're passionate about women getting active, getting out there and making shit happen!', how could you not want to go and see what's in stock?! Plus you'll be supporting young women in business too.

http://www.getbusystore.com

manchester's modernist heroines

Natalie Bradbury's zine, 'the Shrieking Violet' has recently linked up with two local organisations, Manchester Modernist Society and the Loiterers Resistance Movement, to do a project celebrating ten overlooked North West women from the twentieth and twenty first centuries. The zine spans the fields of invention, aviation, media, science, geography, design and architecture throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty first.
You can find out more about it here, (with pdf and downloadable versions of the zine available too):

http://theshriekingviolets.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/manchesters-modernist-heroines.html

This is the start of an ongoing project; please tell the zine makers about your heroines by adding them directly to a special Modernist Heroines page on the Modernist Society website.

this is an emergency - print portfolio

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461094566/this-is-an-emergency


Merdeith Stern (of Justseeds) is at the helm of this new print project, seeking funding via Kickstarter, it's a print portfolio project which focuses on reproductive rights and gender justice.

In part, Meredith writes:
In response to all the bullying, the legislative measures, and the horrifying statements filling the media, I feel that we need a collection of voices commenting on this situation through visual art. This project will bring together over a dozen voices from people most affected by these issues- women, queer identified, and transgendered artists.
Once the portfolios are completed, over a dozen of the portfolios will be donated to organizations working on these issues. These organizations will be able to utilize these portfolios in several ways. They can reproduce the images for use in their campaigns, display them at their events or in their office, use the images on their website, newsletters or other written materials, or to sell the posters as a fundraiser for their organization.
I am seeking funding for this project in order to pay for the cost of creating these portfolios. $2000 will pay for the printing of the covers, the written materials, and the postage to ship the portfolios to the organizations. All funds above that will be split between the artists and the organizations. There will be 125 portfolios created. This is your opportunity to get a limited edition, one of a kind print collection from over a dozen amazing artists while helping to fund reproductive and gender justice issues.

Watch Meredith's video and read more about the project at:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461094566/this-is-an-emergency

womens library facing closure

The Women's Library in London holds a special part in my heart. I've been given the opportunity, their support, and the space to host a couple of exhibitions there over the years, they home & archive the UK womens comix zine collection that I donated a few years ago, they have a wonderfully unique space for great events and discussion, and not to mention, above all else, all the important resources they house, archive and preserve. It's such an important centre for women's history (in all its forms and shapes) in the UK. It's therefore with extreme sadness that I read the below this week.
From my inbox...

UNISON statement on the Library’s Special Collections

It is with profound regret that UNISON learned yesterday of the University’s Board of Governors’ decision to seek new homes for The Women’s Library and Trades Union Congress Library Collections.

Social justice, the strides towards equality and the campaigns fought by those unwilling to accept injustice lie at the heart of these collections and they have given our students a real opportunity to engage with these movements and personal histories. These special collections truly emphasized the now seemingly lost intention of London Met Uni’s original aims to widen participation and to promote social justice by offering our students these truly unique resources.

The dedicated staff at both Libraries – who were not involved in these decisions in any way, despite seeking input into the reviews that lead to this decision – will now look to the future. We still believe in the value of the stories documented and want to thank everyone who has supported us so far.

http://www.londonmetunison.org.uk/2012/03/special-collections/


Save the Women’s Library Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/370426752989975/
(not an official group but started but fellow librarians – I think)

Petiton - Save the Women's Library at London Metropolitan University

Target: Secretary of State for Education

Sponsored by: Rudi's Save Our Libraries Campaign

Ugly rumours are circulating that the magnificent, purpose-built, Women's Library at London Metropolitan University may have its opening hours and facilities drastically curtailed, or even be closed altogether. This Library is one of the most magificent specialist libraries in the world, having started life as the Fawcett Library in a poky, cramped, dark basement at Old Castle Street. With money from the Lottery it has become something that previously women - and men - could only have dreamed of. Women have visited from all over not just Britain, but the world. It is a national asset. Whatever the University's problems - which we hope will be resolved - under no circumstances should the Women's Library suffer in any way. Please join, and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE pass this onto your friends.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/925/128/986/save-the-womens-library-at-london-metropolitan-university/

There isn’t any information on the Women’s Library web site as yet although they did close unexpectedly for part of Thursday and all day Friday – but that may be a coincidence.

una buena barba - call out for submissions

The quite wonderful Una Buena Barba magazine based in Spain (who interviewed me about my zines last year) have just put out this neat sounding call-out:

http://unabuenabarba.com/submission.html

It reads:

Buscamos ilustraciones para formar un fanzine sobre ídolos e iconos queer que presentaremos a finales de abril en un evento literario, y más adelante en librerías. Puede ser de la academia o la calle, la copla o la cultura pop, un personaje histórico o ficticio. Lo importante es que sea alguien que haya influido cómo ves la cultura queer o feminista.
Queremos que sea una especie de álbum familiar que represente una gran
variedad de géneros, sexualidades, razas, y profesiones.

ESPECIFICACIONES
- La ilustración ha de ser en blanco y negro.
- No importa la técnica, pero ha de enviarse en formato digital.
- Ha de estar a una resolución de 300ppp
- El tamaño ha de ser como mucho, un A5
Fecha límite: El 8 de Abril de 2012.

¿Y A MÍ QUÉ ME DAS A CAMBIO?

Por desgracia no podemos permitirnos pagar a nadie for sus ilustraciones.
Lo que saquemos de las ventas lo utilizaremos para cubrir los costes de impresión.
Lo que sí os daremos:
-Una copia del fanzine, que enviaremos a vuestro hogar, vuestra oficina, vuestra mazmorra, o donde nos
digáis.
-Una maravillosa chapa de Una Buena Barba.
-La promoción de vuestro trabajo, blog, o página web en nuestras redes sociales, web, y por supuesto en el fanzine.
-La adoración de miles de queers buenorrxs, posiblemente millones, por lo menos cuatro.
Envíanos tu propuesta o pregunta aquí.

Roughly translated, in English:

We seek to form a fanzine illustrations on queer idols and icons that present in late April at a literary event, and later in bookstores. It may be from academia or the street, the song or pop culture, a historical or fictional. The important thing is to be someone who has influenced how you see queer or feminist culture.

We want to make a sort of family album that represents a great variety of genres, sexualities, races and professions.

SPECIFICATIONS
- The picture must be in black and white.
- No matter the technique, but must be sent in digital format.
- It must be a resolution of 300dpi
- The size must be at most a A5
Deadline: On April 8, 2012.

And WHY ME GIVE ME A CHANGE?
Unfortunately we can not afford to pay anyone for their artwork.
What we get out of sales will use it to cover printing costs.
What I would give:
-A copy of the fanzine, we will send to your home, your office, your dungeon, or where we tell.
-A wonderful plate of a Good Beard.
-The promotion of your work, blog, or website on our social networks, web, and of course in the fanzine.
-Worship thousands of queers buenorrxs, possibly millions, at least four.
Send your proposal or question here: arte@unabuenabarba.com


I'm a sucker for a project like this! It's like a queer Shape & Situate :) Yay!

poland

From my inbox, from Asia...

http://zinowearchiwum.wordpress.com : A blog about feminist/queer/comix zines and events from poland

www.psiamac.noblogs.org : A zine/graphic/diy festival in Warsaw in May 2012, feel invited, take part!

and if you visit warsaw, please check out the queer/feminist social center
UFA, ul. nowolipki 20 (www.u-f-a.pl) and check our zine archive!

MOMA in a rush for the plane home

I've just got back from a whistlestop trip to New York where I had to go for solely for a 12 hour meeting - grim! Before my flight home I got up extra early and ran to MOMA to check out the Cindy Sherman exhibition currently being held there. Aside from Cindy's work, I saw some other real gems, such as the Sanja Ivekovic exhibition, 'Sweet Violence' which kind of blew me away (in a way that, strangely, Cindy Sherman's exhibition didn't).

A real treat for me too was seeing the work (in the flesh) of so many amazing female artists under one roof, the work of Barbara Kruger, Kara Walker, Lisa Yuskavage, Ellen Gallagher, Diane Arbus, Nan Goldin, Louise Bourgeois, Sarah Lucas, Ana Medieta, Jenny Holzer, Lucy McKenzie, Paulina Olowska, Cady Noland, Diana Balton, Doris Salcedo, and Andrea Zittel.

Here's some crappy, blurry photos of some of that...


^Louise Bourgeois

^Sarah Lucas

^Ellen Gallagher





^Jenny Holzer

^Barbara Kruger

Shape & Situate: Posters Of Inspirational European Women. Issue 3

Shape & Situate: Posters Of Inspirational European Women Issue #3 is OUT NOW!!
I'll be adding places to the list on the right hand side of this blog of where folks can get hold of a copy, but right now I'm starting with my etsy shop. More to follow.



Shape & Situate is a zine of posters made by artists and DIY creative folk from within Europe, each poster highlighting the (often hidden) history and lives of radical inspirational women and collectives from Europe, as a way of connecting us with the past and the present through a dynamic cultural (re-)articulation of these women’s lives.
The zine aims to activate feminist cultural memory, to inspire in the present, and to visually bring women’s social and political history to life and into view.


Featuring posters of:

Grace Darling, Margaret McMillan, Lucy Whitman, Gloria Fuertes, Zorras, Anneke Van Baalen, Elizabeth Fry, Annie Londonderry, Tove Jansson, Artemisia Gentileschi, The Raincoats, Ada Lovelace, Tessa Boffin, Hedy Lamarr, Jane Drew, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, Monique Wittig, Madge Gill, Catherine Of Aragon, Bryant & May Matchwomen, Amy Johnson, Marie Duval, Beryl Cook, Virginia Woolf, Beverley Skeggs.

Contributing artists:

Dimitri Antorka-Pieri (aka jimi gherkin), Amy Wright, Rachael House, Zoraida de Torres Burgos, Marylou Anderson, Nina Nijsten, James Clayton , A-K Pirata, Gladys Badhands, Jen Chung, Matthew Evans, Claira Turvey, Red and Nu, Chella Quint, Jo Harrison, Soya Le Gato, Julia Downes, Seleena Laverne Daye, Verity Hall, Bill Savage, John Bishop, Benjamin L. Cooney, Kathryn Taylor, Leah Mathos, Charlotte Cooper.


2012

A5 size zine.
34 pages (25 posters)
Black and white illustrations throughout.

Printed on recycled 100gsm paper. Covers printed on 170gsm card.

scottish comix event

From my inbox...

Hysterical Women & Graphic Grrrlz, illustrated talk

Start: 12th March, 2012 6:00 pm
End: 12th March, 2012 7:00 pm
Cost: Free
Address: The Wellgate, Dundee, United Kingdom

An illustrated talk with Heather Middleton.

6pm to 7pm, Monday 12th March, Conference Room, Central Library, The Wellgate, Dundee.

To complement the Hysterical Women and Graphic Grrrlz exhibition, Glasgow based illustrator and zine-maker Heather Middleton will give an illustrated talk on the history of graphic novels and zines by women authors.

More info here: http://womenslibrary.org.uk/event/hysterical-women-graphic-grrrlz-illustrated-talk/

tabling

Shape & Situate zine will be at a couple of zine events in the coming months...

Loosely Bound Zine Extravaganza, in Bradford: http://looselybound.org/
An event run in collaboration with Fabric in their brand new city centre arts space, "Handmade in Bradford" at

1 Tyrell St BD1 1RU
Saturday 24th March 2012
10am-4pm

and

Victoria Baths zine convention, in Manchester. More info on all the rad stuff that's already planned to happen at this can be found here: http://theshriekingviolets.blogspot.com/p/victoria-baths-fanzine-convention-2012.html
Saturday 19th May 2012.
I'll be hosting an exhibition of the Shape & Situate posters at this event.