PRINTFree-stylin'
Self-published magazines, or “zines,” allow writers to rebel
Patrick T. Fallon
Artist Ben Chlapek draws for his latest zine in his apartment. Chlapek enjoys being a freelance artist: He creates zines, screen-printed posters and other works of art.
November 5, 2009 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Click here to see a slideshow of Ben Chlapek's zine in progress.
Long before the emergence of blogs, zines were around, and anyone with access to a copy machine could cut and paste their thoughts onto paper for immediate distribution. Today, local writers and artists still use the medium to self-publish their personal manifestos. Freelance illustrator Ben Chlapek has been creating and selling his zines since early 2008.
But he’s not spending late nights at Kinko’s stapling photocopied papers together. Chlapek’s new project, This is What You’ll Get, juxtaposes individually screen-printed images with semi-fictional stories bound together in CD jewel cases. “It’s nice to be able to produce your own books without any rules,” he says.
Chlapek’s no-rules approach lets him tell the stories he wants. After creating two zines filled with stream-of-consciousness “odds and ends,” he’s now trying to produce more structured work. The six-page This is What You’ll Get tells short stories of under-recognized, mistreated Columbians through illustration and text. The subjects’ names are not included, and they might never know that they’ve been written about. Chlapek says the concept was inspired by the Radiohead song “Karma Police” and an incident he saw during which a disabled woman’s keys were knocked to the ground and no one lent a helping hand. Chlapek says he wants to write about these injustices to “shed light in a sympathetic way.”
Chlapek admits the topic sounds heavy, but the weight of the subject matter is offset by the clean, child-like simplicity of his illustrations. While studying art at MU, he was drawn to the flat qualities of silk-screening. “You have to pick specific colors,” Chlapek says. “It keeps things simple and limits you, which is a good thing.”
After graduating in December 2007 and working for six weeks at a design job, Chlapek quit to develop his screen-printed illustrations. Independent music fans will probably recognize his posters for big-name bands performing in Columbia and Kansas City such as The Decemberists.
As for This is What You’ll Get, Chlapek expects to have 150 to 200 copies completed this month. Unlike his illustration projects, he says there’s no stressful deadline. The six-page publication will be sold at Artlandish Gallery and on his Web site, neversleeping.com, in addition to infoshops in other cities from Chicago to the coasts.
Justin Rodier, an art student at MU, worked with Chlapek on the zine Ruthless. Rodier says Chlapek’s work is a great example of applying a sense of humor to art.
The appeal of zines to young DIY enthusiasts shows that many enjoy the portability and nostalgia of printed materials that exist outside the corporate publishing world. Although Chlapek would like This is What You’ll Get to look good on your coffee table, he has even loftier goals. “I think people can be treated pretty poorly sometimes, whether on purpose or not,” he says. “Maybe if people read my zine, they’ll stop and think about it.”
Print’s not dead yet, according to local zine writers. Columbia self-publishers are keeping the DIY movement alive by distributing their works around town and online. For $2-15, readers can buy zines on everything from local bands to personal histories.
Morgan Inez Smith appreciates the positive responses generated by Letters I Will Never Send to You, a personal narrative that includes recipes, jokes and travel stories. She cites the times readers have bought her a beer or contributed artwork. Letters I Will Never Send to You is available for $3 at Maude’s Vintage, and past issues are also available at strangerdangerdistro.com for $2.50.
Luci Cook contributed stories of her experience with a heart transplant and illness to Sick, a collaborative zine about members of the punk community coping with disabilities. Sick was released in summer 2009, and the 88-page publication is available for $4 through microcosmpublishing.com.
Justin Rodier is about to release the second issue of Ruthless, his collaborative collection of glossy photos, illustrations and stories celebrating the youth movement. Ruthless is at Maude’s Vintage for $5 and is always seeking art and written work from local contributors. The next issue’s theme is nudes.
--Caitlin Giddings
Artist Ben Chlapek does his own drawing for his latest zine.
Great article! Go Ben!
And speaking of 'zines, a new e-zine created entirely by Mizzou students on bodies, sexuality and reproductive health launched just last week. It's called BODYTALK.
Access the first issue here: http://studenthealth.missouri.edu/SHAPE/...
Posted by BODY TALK on Nov 5, 2009 at 9:47 p.m. (Report Comment)