Friday lates: the art of zines
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
Course Code: VB153
Duration: 1 session
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
From punk to politics, football to feminism, zines have been crucial to the energy and experiment of alternative culture for decades. From their earliest origins, through the Sixties underground press, the DIY aesthetics of punk rock, right up to their 1990s revival, we’ll delve into their visceral appeal, their DIY techniques, and consider the wider cultures that gave rise to them.
Where do zines end and art begin? We’ll consider the influences and overlaps. Finally, we’ll ask, what future for zines, in this digital age?
The course is structured around a lecture and class discussion, exploring relevant concepts and historical questions.
This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.
What will we cover?
• The origins of zines in pamphleteering, avant-garde journals, and pop-culture fanclubs.
• Zines across the 20th century: the ‘60s underground, ‘70s punk rock, and ‘90s riot grrrl.
• The DIY aesthetics, techniques and cultures of zine production.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Name at least three historically important fanzines, from across a range of eras.
• Question the distinctions between “avant-garde” art, “the underground”, and pop culture.
• Analyse influential works and participate in discussions about them.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable for all levels.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information as well as basic functions of Zoom, specifically microphone and camera.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught by lecture with slide images and you will be invited to participate in group discussion.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You may wish to have a notebook for taking notes.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Search our website for 'Friday Lates' to see a range of short courses on a variety of art historical topics.
You might also be interested in:
Friday Lates: Poster Art: Print, Pop and Propaganda
Friday Lates: Psychogeography: The Art of Getting Lost.
Christopher Collier trained as an artist, before gaining an MA in Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths and a PhD in Art History and Theory from the University of Essex. He has taught at institutions including the University of Essex, Cambridge School of Art, and Winchester School of Art, as well as presenting internationally at a range of workshops and conferences, including at the ICA, London and CCA, Glasgow. His broad range of interests includes the intersections of art and the more-than-human world, along with art's relations to wider political economy and cultural theory. He is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
