October 22, 2020, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Chicago Zine Culture Roundtable: From the First Queer Zine Fest to Now

Online

“Spew: The Homographic Convergence” at Randolph Street Gallery, May 25, 1991. Special Collections at the John M. Flaxman Library.

To register

In 1991, Spew, the first queer zine fest, took place in Chicago at the Randolph Street Gallery. With a particular interest in social and political issues of its time and a deep commitment to community engagement, Randolph Street Gallery was a critical venue for new forms of artistic expression, leaving a lasting impact locally, nationally, and globally. Spew was part of a larger queer festival in Chicago and included a performance by Vaginal Davis, a key figure in the history of queer music, performance, and video art.

Join Chicago Collections Consortium (CCC) for a wide-ranging roundtable discussion on the impact of Spew, Randolph Street Gallery, and the continuing evolution of Chicago zine culture. Attendees will also learn about a variety of zine collections currently held at CCC member organizations. Panelists include Julia Arredondo (Vice Versa Press and Curandera Press), Oscar Arriola (ZINEMercado and Fotoflow Press), Osa Atoe (Shotgun Seamstress and Pottery by Osa), Jonas Cannon (Midwest Perzine Fest and Fixer Eraser), and Liz Mason (Quimby’s and Caboose).

This panel is followed on October 28 by a Zine Workshop led by artist Julia Arredondo.