The Kohler Art Library, in partnership with the Chazen Museum of Art and the Department of Art History, hosted a free night of zine-making for students in the Chazen's Mead Witter Lobby on Thursday, Oct. 1.
Zines are typically self-published handmade booklets, often used to circulate information amongst marginalized groups. During the Harlem Renaissance, zines were used as methods of sharing culture and art.
The event was inspired by the Chazen’s new exhibition “Pressing Issues: Printmaking as Social Justice in 1930s US,” with art pieces created using printmaking to discuss themes of social justice. The 1930s in the United States were a time of large socio-political upheaval, characterized by race, class and labor tensions. The exhibit at the Chazen showcased Great Depression-era artists who chronicled life at the time and created “radical, critical commentaries,” according to the Chazen’s website.
The idea for the event came from Maggie McLaughlin, the instruction and outreach art librarian for the Kohler Art Library, and Berit Ness, the chief engagement officer for the Chazen Museum of Art. The two wanted to create more collaborative events between the Chazen and the Kohler Art Library.
McLaughlin told The Daily Cardinal they have a “research interest and artistic interest in zines,” so they proposed the zine-making event to Ness, and the two began planning. McLaughlin believes zines are a historical medium for political protest and social justice.
“Zines and social justice issues go hand in hand,” McLaughlin said.“[They’re] deeply rooted in the punk, queer, and anarchist communities.”
The event featured various magazines for students to use as collage material: glue, stamps, stickers and unique paper. Students could begin by looking at a zine titled “How to Make a Zine,” and then add any material of their choice to their own. Throughout the evening, students came and went on their own time, with about 20 participants in total.
“What’s important for me for an outreach event is to have something really tangible that students can take away at the end of it, and can really just use their hands and make something,” McLaughlin said.
Additionally, McLaughlin said the Kohler Art Library has plans to start a zine library, making this event a great introduction for students to zines.
The library would allow students to create, view and share their own zines, with a potential workshop space, if budget permits. The zines would not be able to be checked in or out of the library.
Previously, Kohler Art Library events have included a puzzle-making event, a Valentine’s event and a potluck. McLaughlin said these events have been smaller and in-house at the library.
“There's such a deep, rich artistic community in Madison, both on campus and off campus,” McLaughlin said. Through outreach events, The Kohler Art Library is “looking for ways to collaborate with those communities and bring the arts together and really celebrate their depth and their riches.”
