Hello my name is AJ and along with my fellow artist/curator Rebecca Little I run a project called Peg Powler Gallery. Peg Powler - named after a mythical figure from local lore - is a totally independent and D.I.Y. art gallery.
We run regular exhibitions and events on a shoestring in locations such as Green Dragon Studios or, this August, ARC in Stockton and we always try to show our favourite alternative local art in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
A big interest of Peg Powler is the world of zines - D.I.Y. books and mini- magazines on any subject self published on a photocopier by the people that make them. We've always had our little zine library at Peg Powler events, we put on an exhibition based on the zine 'The Story of Grass', my own endeavors include Estelle co-authored with the esteemed Alyson Agar. So we were highly excited to be able to be part of We Are Open, taking over the lovely Pop Up Studio on Newport Road for weeks in June/July and filling it with zine related activity.
Our objective was to boost zine culture in the Middlesbrough area - a place where we know there is so much creativity. Here are some of the most common or best comments we would receive during our stay:
" What's a zyne? "
Its a handmade, self published book, comic or magazine knocked out totally independently on a photocopier! Also its usually pronounced "zeen" as in "magazine" or "fanzine". We didn't make the word up, it comes from the science fiction fanzines of the 1950s and then the punk fanzines of the 1970s - a combination of fan and magazine. The fan part tends to get dropped because zines don't have to be by a 'fan' - they can be filled with art, comics, poetry, rambling diatribes. One zine we had in the studio was called Yellow Jets and Mellow Pets and featured a collection of drawings all of either relaxed animals or various types of jets all on yellow paper.
"I'm not touching it! "
Some of our visitors would have a quick look around and ask a few questions, some would join us for some drawing or stay to read, some people came back whenever they could. A lady with and upper class speaking manner and nicely sculpted ice cream hair seemed quite interested as to what a zyne was and we we're happy to explain. She drew the line at actually handling one though, giving us this legendary quote.
" Do you do babies' passport photos? "
?? Would you see a place with a crudely stuffed (and possibly fake) fish and a wonky drawing of the late Frank Sidebottom in the window and think, 'ah this the place to get my bairn's portrait taken for the purpose of a legal document'? Because quite a lot of people did.
" Did you to make all these then? "
This question would come while gesturing to about 100 different titles from across the world, on subjects ranging from football to menstruation to heavy metal to the history of the anarchist movement to bears, probably constituting 10,000 hours of loving effort from the various authors. Of course our answer to this question would be 'sure'.
" I've got some copies of something I've done knocking around the house, would you be interested having a look? "
YES! And we still are super interested in all locally created zine and comics - email info@pegpowler.com to get in touch we really would love to hear from you.
" I'm going to make my own zine. "
Our most beloved comment, it was really brilliant to see people take some inspiration and for new zines to either be created there in the pop-up studio or for people to start their own zines in their own time on subjects including monsters, poetry, even Linthorpe Road.
We've now started putting some zines into a corner of Writers' Block on Albert Road, another great place to be creative couretesy of We Are Open. So look out for the best new and old local zines and if you have a zine you've made or want to make, get in touch!
AJ
pegpowler.com
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