INTRODUCTION

lo-fi street cred: artists' zines, DIY and alternative publications

Curated by David Paton

What this exhibition contains is probably unlike anything you have seen before in august museum spaces of academic institutions. Yet it is from the edges of the academic space that we might expect to find such publications proliferating; objects that unhinge the conventional expectation of published literature, art monographs and catalogues. The unauthorized, and often incendiary ideas of students are printed quickly and cheaply, from clandestine copy machines and silkscreens, where aesthetic merit and concepts clash and fold into each other.

From important literary magazines dating from the '50s to posterzines by students and members of the public; artists' publications from the JGCBA collection and zines from diverse sources, the exhibition offers a sliver of alternative publications in South Africa. What is clear from this body of work is the rich history and nurturing of these fascinating practices. Despite limited access to funding, established printing facilities and markets, these creative producers have fashioned some profoundly challenging zines and self-published works.