DIY Cultures

Interactive Monster Unit will be zine tabling at
DIY Cultures
on Sunday 25th May at the Rich Mix!

"Monsterpedia - Volume 2" - A Zine by International Nobody

"International Nobody makes pictures for walls, floors and ceilings. Sometimes people think about buying them."

Message to rebels and those who operate under the laws of reverse psychology...

Don't even THINK ABOUT IT!

To everyone else: Procure International Nobody's work before Charles Saatchi snatches it right out of your hands!

"Yoghurt Pots" - A Zine by Squid

"Yoghurt Pots" is a zine of microscopic stories, including conversations between coats, sweets, tiny people under a baking sun, out of date prawns, emo ads, illustrated puns, and the world's most famous transguy carrot, Mr. Carrot and his mother's irrepressible beagle in three-panel comic-strips.

"Where Are My Star Shoes" - A Zine by Stephanie Dogfoot

"Where Are My Star Shoes" - A Poetry Zine by Stephanie Dogfoot, with illustrations by Squid. Stephanie's poetry is cunning, sleek and burns with lashings of humour and dark wit. She graced us with co-guest zining in December before travelling back to Singapore.

"Fox and Bear The Unlikely Pair" - A Zine By Seth Corbin

"Fox and Bear - The Unlikely Pair - A Silent Comic" by musician and artist Seth Corbin. Philosophical and mysterious (wordless) with brilliant drawings.

Queer Zine Fest

We brought out zines to our first Queer Zine Fest and OMG it was amazing!

Along with the regular monster team: International Nobody ("Monsterpaedia"), Squid ("Yoghurt Pots") and Dorothy Damage ("Typical Girls"), and we had guest zine-makers poet Stephanie Dogfoot ("Where are My Star Shoes?" and musician/artist Seth Corbin ("Fox and Bear - The Unlikely Pair, A Silent Comic").

I really love the vibe at zine fairs.. There's this incredible sense of creative community and curiosity.

One of the coolest things about making a zine is watching people read it and then guffaw. Sometimes I ask them what they were laughing about as it's interesting to know what people find funny.

By the way, I asked all these people if it was ok to take their photos! (I hate people taking random pics of me!) and they all said "YEAH!" and it was a tacit agreement that they didn't need to be shown guffawing in the photo!

On the IMU table, we also had Dorothy Damage's feminist paper dolls, International Nobody's colourful monster prints and stickers and Squid's postcards ranging from cute to the just plain erotic.

More lovely people checking out the zines..

Sabrina Chap with "Yoghurt Pots".

 Took some time out to go say Hi to our friend the poet Mia Julia Eley at her stall.

 Keeping an eye on things..

Spare chair for Queer Zine Fest.

 

http://queerzinefestlondon.tumblr.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/160624710775600/

MY FIRST TIME - Confessions at Garçonne

There's a really cool queer night in Brighton called Traumfrau. It showcases queer films, music acts, art, print and paint workshops (yes while clubbing!) and the dancefloor is always packed with enthusiastic queers of all tastes as the DJ's play a brilliant eclectic range of music. The cool thing about it is a sense of community and the sense that it's ok to have fun and play and not necessarily take everything too seriously, or for it to just a pulling ground.. (Although having said that, no fear, there's definitely no shortage of amour there.!!) 


Well, in November, Traumfrau veteran Jenny Newman, launched Garçonne, for people who want Traumfrau in London..

It only made sense to kick off the inaugural Garçonne with a creative happening called MY FIRST TIME.. SQUID (Interactive Monster Unit) invited to contribute by thinking of something they wanted to share about a first time of some kind.. e.g. an important event in their lives. 

Before and after Sabrina Chap played an astonishing set in the next room, people wandered in and it was awesome that people wanted to share beautiful mini-stories anonymously on colourful paper shapes which we added to the walls as the night went by... 

Secrets about first time experiences ranged
from stories about crushes, thefts, swimming, 
travelling, fandom, music, coming of age

moments and loads more, some joyful, funny,
some sad, some bitter and others, surreal and mysterious.. 

Here is just a small selection of pics..

Some friendly people willing to give up their dancefloor time to share a memory!

Thanks to Chip and Emma for helping hold the fort by cutting shapes and paper fights, all my friends and strangers for dropping by and writing stories, distant friends who texted me stories for me to add to the wall, Sabrina Chap for awesome music and Jenny Newman for being a great host!