A one-day symposium for art historians, zine makers and artists to consider zine culture in the context and theme of voices.

Zines are speaking to and for the underground (Duncombe 1997) they enable practitioners and their enthusiasts to have a voice (Piepmeier 2009) – a voice in spaces and places in which opinions and ideas may not seem to have auhority (Clyde 2017). Zines as method connect to theory through the renegotiation of knowledge and this can shap how how history is documented – if the book (as edited finished truth) is legitimate then the zine is space in which the unpolished, the liminal, the marginalised can remain as so. The aim of this symposium is to discuss zine culture and D.I.Y practice within an art historial context. We are interested in responses for papers on the following ideas:

The aim of this symposium is to discuss zine culture and D.I.Y practice within an academic context. We are interested in responses for papers on the following ideas:

- the zine as a way of making previously unheard voices heard
- zines that consider power / knowledge
- Ideas of acceptable forms of knowledge
- alternative modes of distribution
- legitimate or illegitimate voices
- zines as giving voice
- zines as an archive or zines as the archive
- zine libraries as rare and special collections / zine librarians
- renegotiated relations to power through book format.
- How academics might distribute their work outside of academia

One of the aims of this event is to give zines a literal voice – this voice might need to be presented in an alternative way in a symposium setting. We encourage proposals that will engage the attendees – discussion (and the ability to discuss) is important to the process of making, thinking, researching and presenting.

Please send a 200 word proposal if you wish to present / participate, this should be submitted by the 28th of February 2020. Other forms of presentation should be discussed in advance, get in touch with Charlene Clempson (c.clempsonyorksj.ac.uk).

The symposium will also be host to a small zine fair so we can discuss these topics in relation to makers and stall holders. If you are interested in having a stall and selling your work or delivering a workshop at the symposium please contact Nathan Walker (n.walkeryorksj.ac.uk).
You will be notified of the panel’s decision by the 13th of April 2020, if your submission is accepted.