INDEPRINT
This is a proposed lecture series based on the idea of designers having the ability to work on their own outside of firms and also work outside of traditional capitalist structures that dominate publishing. It would explore experimental and small press publishing as well as zine culture. This series would feature three speakers, MJ Sanqui, Paul Soulellis, and Thick Press, to describe their experiences in the field of publishing. This series was printed at the Texas State RISO Print Studio with Jordan Steyer and Christina Nguyen.
Poster series
This poster series focuses on the three proposed speakers and in making it I wanted to explore the relationship between macro and micro text along with the errors or mistakes that comes with small scale publishing. To further that idea, these were printed on a Risograph which is commonly used for zines and cheaper small scale publishing. The text featured in the background for every poster is A Press of Our Own Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press by Barbara Smith which was a manifesto for their printing press started by Smith at the recommendation of Audre Lorde in the 1980s. This work felt appropriate for the message of the lecture series.
MJ Sanqui is a queer, Filipinx multidisciplinary artist from western NC. Their work is broadly concerned with personal histories, epistemic power, and assimilation. They are also interested in experimentation and love to play with color, texture, and abstraction across multiple mediums such as photography, film and video, printmaking, book arts, painting, and performance. Sanqui would give a lecture on artist books titled “The Practice of Artist Books.”
Paul Soulellis is an artist and educator based in Providence, RI. His practice includes teaching, writing, and experimental publishing, with a focus on queer methodologies and network culture. Soulellis would give a lecture on publishing access in COVID-19 titled “Radical Publishing During Crisis.”
Thick Press is a collaboration between a social worker, Erin Segal, and a designer, Julie Cho. Inspired by artists books and chapbooks, Thick Press publishes books that cross genres and disciplines. All their books relate to working or living in the thick of human experience. Segal and Cho would give a lecture on small scale publishing titled “Empathetic Publishing Practice.”
Zine
A zine was also created as a takeaway for attendees to get quick information about every speaker along with introducing them to the concept of zines. This was also printed with a Risograph to match the style of the posters.