OPEN CALL FOR ZINES

[D21 Kunstraum]

D21 Kunstraum announces an open call for artists who have produced one or more
ZINES in 2009. They will be shown as part of an exhibition in Leipzig in May 2010 that
aims to present the diversity of contemporary ArtZine culture.

We are looking for periodicals with a minimum of two issues per year, circulating in print
or online. Because this exhibition is limited to zines produced by artists – art books,
editorial art magazines, or other publications of this kind will not be considered. We
welcome submissions and interest from all international applicants. The deadline is
31/01/2010.

Please send one issue of your publication to the following address:
D21 Kunstraum
Demmeringstraße 21
04177 Leipzig

Or send a pdf to Regine Ehleiter ([e-mail]).

For more information about the show, please visit:
http://d21-leipzig.de/artzines-english

[Adrian Fynch]

What's happening to the zines after the show?

[D21 Kunstraum]

hi sarala. we're planning to start a permanent zine collection in leipzig!
although there is a great bookshop here that sells selected titles (mzin.de), there is yet no non-profit institution that collects zines on a broad scale. unfortunately, we don't have enough room in our offices to set up a zine library permanently, that is why we will be cooperating with a bigger art institution here that hosts an art books library (will post the name as soon as they have confirmed). i think that's best for everyone, since that library is public and has enough space to put them on display permanently.

Sarala B. said:

What's happening to the zines after the show?

[D21 Kunstraum]

we had some long discussions about this. i don't think, it is possible to come up with a proper definition, as zines are so much defined by exactly that: their elusiveness, formal variety and heterogeneity of styles. i like sarah pierce's open definition. she simply says: "to be a zine is to be a lot of things. typically it means being a publication, something that circulates in print, whether that means physically or over the internet." ("a politics of interpretation", in: "curating subjects", paul o'neill).
however, we restricted it to zines by artist because we wanted to show how zines are part of contemporary art practice, how artists produce zines as an independent artistic medium and by bringing different publications from different places together to compare these strategies. it will be up to the visitors in the show to do that and decide what they like (or think of as "good" art).


Mulnix said:

How do you define "artist"? Meaning, zines without text...image-centered zines...I'm not sure where the lines are. I mean, my zine has some design elements that are interesting, but I'd say it's 85% text...am I in?

[D21 Kunstraum]

There is some good news!
The first publications from the Netherlands, UK and the states have arrived safely here in Leipzig.
Plus there is news about what happens to the zines after the show: We are happy to announce a cooperation with the library of Halle 14, a non-profit arts institution (http://www.halle14.org/bibliothek.html), who has all facilities and ressources to archive and host your zines after the show in May permanently.